New Zealand continues to experience a small recovery in its net migration numbers.
By Corrin Dann of RNZ
Statistics New Zealand said New Zealand had a net gain of 24,200 migrants in the year to March, up from 14,000 in the same period last year.
That is still well down on the recent peak, when there was a net gain of around 130,000 migrants in the year to October 2023.
The increase in the year to March this year was driven by small 1% up tick in overall arrivals to 135,500 and 8% drop in migrant departures to 111,300.
When looked at on monthly basis, New Zealand had a net gain of 2800 in March, compared with a loss of 200 in the same month a year ago.
According to Statistics New Zealand, there was net migration loss of 36,500 New Zealand citizens in the year to March and a net gain of 60,800 non-New Zealand citizens
The net loss of New Zealand citizens in the year March is down around 6400 on the same period last year.
Tourism numbers
New Zealand had 3.63 million short term visitors in the year to March 2026, an increase of 305,000 on the previous year.
Australian tourists lead the way, up 161,000 in the year to March to 1.56 million, followed by Chinese tourists which were up 48,000 to 297,000.
For the month of March visitor arrivals were 358,900, an increase of 47,100 from March 2025.
Statistics New Zealand said the total number of overseas visitor arrivals in March 2026 was 95% of the 378,300 recorded in March 2019.
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