Annual migration has hit the highest level on record with a net gain of 118,835 people in the September 2023 year.
Newly released data from Statistics New Zealand showed overall 237,100 migrants arrived in the year to September, up 83 percent. However, this was offset by 118,200 people leaving - up 33 percent.
The net gain is the highest on record for an annual period. The previous annual records for migrant arrivals and total net migration gain, respectively, were 184,900 and 91,700, both in the March 2020 year.
The previous annual record for migrant departures was 117,400 in the February 2012 year.
The number of migrant arrivals and migrant departures for the September 2023 year are both above the pre-COVID average (September years 2002–2019) of 120,200 and 91,800, respectively.
The overall net gain was mainly driven by migrants from India, the Philippines, China, Fiji, and South Africa.
It comes as New Zealand citizens leave at near record levels. Stats NZ provisional estimates for the same period show there was a net loss of 44,700 New Zealand citizens in September year.
This was made up of 26,400 migrant arrivals and 71,200 migrant departures.
"Migrant departures of New Zealand citizens are just under record levels,” population indicators manager Tehseen Islam said.
"Based on the latest estimates available, just over half of these departures went to Australia."
The previous record net migration loss of New Zealand citizens was 44,400 in the February 2012 year.
Meanwhile, overseas visitor arrivals are also picking up, hitting 2.77 million in the September 2023 year, up 2.08 million from the previous year.
The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- Australia (up 787,000 to 1.26 million)
- United States (up 269,000 to 304,000)
- United Kingdom (up 144,000 to 172,000)
- China (up 98,000 to 105,000)
- India (up 69,000 to 75,000)
- Germany (up 49,000 to 54,000)
- Canada (up 49,000 to 56,000).
New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals were 2.48 million in the same period, up 1.66 million from the September 2022 year.
The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- Australia (up 622,000 to 952,000)
- Fiji (up 108,000 to 196,000)
- United States (up 106,000 to 154,000)
- India (up 68,000 to 99,000)
- United Kingdom (up 58,000 to 108,000)
- China (up 58,000 to 62,000)
- Samoa (up 52,000 to 57,000).
New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals were 2.48 million in the same period, up 1.66 million from the September 2022 year.
The biggest changes were in arrivals from:
- Australia (up 622,000 to 952,000)
- Fiji (up 108,000 to 196,000)
- United States (up 106,000 to 154,000)
- India (up 68,000 to 99,000)
- United Kingdom (up 58,000 to 108,000)
- China (up 58,000 to 62,000)
- Samoa (up 52,000 to 57,000).
