14 Aug 2023

Migration net gain of 86,800 in year to June is largest in three years

2:16 pm on 14 August 2023
The first fights from across the Tasman landed in New Zealand after the border reopened on 13 April 2022.

Stats NZ said the recent gains were driven by citizens from India, the Philippines, China, South Africa and Fiji. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

The latest annual net migration gain is the largest in more than three years, according to Stats NZ data.

The net gain of 86,800 people in the year ended June was the biggest since May 2020.

It was made up of a record net gain of 121,600 non-New Zealand citizens and a net migration loss of 34,800 New Zealand citizens.

New Zealand's highest annual net migration gain was 91,700 in the year ended March 2020.

Stats NZ said the recent gains were driven by citizens from India, the Philippines, China, South Africa and Fiji.

"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," Stats NZ population indicators manager, Tehseen Islam said.

Meanwhile, Stats NZ said the country had 2.54 million overseas visitor arrivals in the year-ended June, up from 2.23 million a year ago.

Australia continued to be by far the biggest source of overseas visitor arrivals with 1.03 million, followed by the United States at 253,000 and United Kingdom at 153,000.