Migration gain driven by net gains of non-NZ citizens
Migration into New Zealand has continued to run at record levels, with a migration gain of 96,200 in the July 2023 year driven by net gains of non-New Zealand citizens, provisional estimates released by Stats NZ showed.
The current migration gain followed progressive easing of COVID-19-related border restrictions from early last year, as well as changes to immigration settings.
“The record net migration gain in the July 2023 year follows 12 months of a fully open New Zealand border and equates to a net gain of about 19 people per 1,000 population,” said Tehseen Islam, population indicators manager at Stats NZ.
The net migration gain in the July 2023 year, which broke the 91,700 record in the March 2020 year and reversed a net migration loss of 14,500 in the July 2022 year, comprised of a net gain of 135,600 non-New Zealand citizens and a net migration loss of 39,400 New Zealand citizens.
“The net gain of non-New Zealand citizens continues to set new records, while the net loss of New Zealand citizens is approaching the record loss of 44,400 in the February 2012 year,” Islam said.
Net migration gains in the July 2023 year were driven by citizens of India, the Philippines, China, South Africa, and Fiji.
Stats NZ said the following provisional annual records were set in the July 2023 year:
- total migrant arrivals of 208,400 – before the 2023 record levels, the previous record was 184,900 in March 2020
- migrant arrivals of non-New Zealand citizens, with 182,500
- total net migration gain of 96,200
- net migration gain of non-New Zealand citizens, of 135,600 – before the 2023 record levels, the previous record was 80,400 in March 2020
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