New Zealand saw a record net migration loss of 44,700 New Zealand citizens in the year to September 2023, as the reopening of the borders saw Kiwis head off on OEs and job opportunities overseas.
The net migration loss was made up of 26,400 migrant arrivals and 71,200 migrant departures, according to provisional estimates released today by Statistics New Zealand.
"Migrant departures of New Zealand citizens are just under record levels," Stats NZ 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, there was a record overall net migration gain of 118,800 in the year ending September 2023.
It was driven by a record net migration gain of 163,600 non-New Zealand citizens, largely from India, the Philippines, China, Fiji, and South Africa.
This follows a progressive relaxation of Covid-19-related border restrictions from early 2022, as well as changes to immigration settings.
Migrants aged 18 to 44 years old accounted for 67% – or 142,100 – of the 210,600 migrant arrivals of non-New Zealand citizens in the year to September 2023.
Meanwhile, migrants aged 18 to 30 accounted for 39% (27,800) of the 71,200 migrant departures of New Zealand citizens in the same year.
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