New Zealanders are leaving the country in the highest numbers since 2013 but overall net migration is still up, according to the latest data.
There was a provisional net migration gain of 86,800 in the June 2023 year, reversing a net migration loss of 17,600 in the June 2022 year, according to estimates released by Stats NZ on Monday.
The latest numbers are just below Aotearoa's highest annual net migration gain of 91,700 in the March 2020 year.
The increase was driven by a gain of 121,600 non-New Zealand citizens but was offset by a net migration loss of a whopping 34,800 New Zealand citizens.
"Arrivals of non-New Zealand citizens continued to be the main driver of New Zealand's net migration gain in the June 2023 year," population indicators manager Tehseen Islam said.
"Months since November 2022 have averaged net migration gains of about 12,000 non-New Zealand citizens a month, which is high by historical standards."
The rebound in non-citizen migrations comes after the COVID-19 border restrictions were eased early last year and changes to the immigration settings.
Citizens of India, Philippines, China, South Africa, and Fiji drove net migration gains in the June 2023 year.
Young people aged under 40 were the main drivers of the net migration loss of New Zealanders. Citizens aged between 18 and 30 accounted for half (17,500) of the provisional net migration loss in the year to June.
The same age group had a net loss of 5700 in the June 2019 year, relative to an overall net migration loss of 5600 New Zealand citizens.
Non-New Zealand citizens aged 18-40 years made up 65 percent (78,500) of the net migration gain of non-New Zealand citizens in the June 2023 year.
The same age group made up 58 percent (33,500) of the net gain of 57,700 non-New Zealand citizens in the June 2019 year.
But while migration is up, the provisional net loss of New Zealand citizens is the largest net migration loss since the April 2013 year.
The largest annual net migration loss of New Zealand citizens was 44,400 in the February 2012 year.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand usually had an annual net migration loss of New Zealand citizens.
In the December 2022 year, about half of the net migration loss of New Zealand citizens was to Australia.
Changes in migration are typically due to a combination of factors. This includes relative economic and labour market conditions between New Zealand and the rest of the world, and immigration policy in New Zealand and other countries.
The June 2023 year saw provisional annual records for:
- Total migrant arrivals of 195,200, eclipsing 184,900 in the March 2020 year
- Migrant arrivals of non-New Zealand citizens, with 168,900
- Net migration gain of non-New Zealand citizens, of 121,600. Before the 2023 record levels, the previous record was 80,400 in the March 2020 year.
Overseas visitor numbers, usually tourists, are also increasing, up 2.23 million from the June 2022 year to 2.54 million this year.
The biggest changes were in arrivals from Australia (up 1.03 million), United States (up 253,000), United Kingdom (up 153,000), India (up 57,000), China (up 57,000), Canada (up 50,000) and Germany (up 49,000).
New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals were 2.21 million in the June 2023 year, up 1.83 million from the June 2022 year.
The biggest changes were in arrivals from Australia (up 711,000), Fiji (up 155,000), United States (up 117,000), India (up 83,000), United Kingdom (up 81,000), Cook Islands (up 42,000) and Samoa (up 41,000).
