Offshore Kiwi 'Census' Reveals Opportunity for Overseas Kiwis to Grow New Zealand's Economy
Today Kea New Zealand releases results of its five-yearly ‘census’ Every Kiwi Counts 2011 which finds significant opportunity for overseas Kiwis to play a key role in New Zealand’s productive economy.
According to the on-line survey of more than 15,000 overseas New Zealanders, 21% of respondents believe a company or
people they are involved with would be interested in developing deeper economic involvement with New Zealand or a New
Zealand business.1
Every Kiwi Counts 2011 identified around 3,000 potential connections for closer economic involvement between New Zealand and overseas
companies or people linked to survey respondents – implying tens of thousands of such connections among the total Kiwi
population overseas.1
This supports the finding of other Kea research into Foreign Investment from the New Zealand Diaspora - released in November 2011 - which found significant interest among overseas Kiwis in
investing in this country.
Kea New Zealand’s Every Kiwi Counts 2011 survey also revealed:
• About two-thirds of respondents have financial interests in New Zealand; the most common are bank accounts
and/or securities, while 20% have equity investments in New Zealand, 18% own a residential property, 10% own commercial
property.2
• Half of respondents believe things will get better in New Zealand over the next ten years, but also believe that
New Zealand will not reach its full potential. Younger respondents (aged 30 and under) are more likely than older
respondents to be concerned that New Zealand will not reach its full potential in the next ten years.3
• One third (33%) of survey respondents name the main reason for living overseas as being for general economic,
job and income prospects.4
• Nearly 46% of overseas-based Kiwis in the survey report that they earn over NZ$100,000 per annum.5
• Overseas Kiwis stay very connected with New Zealand; 60% have visited New Zealand in the past 12 months, while
only 4% have not returned home since they left.6
• Over 60% of returning Kiwis list attractions like being closer to family, the lifestyle and because New Zealand
is “home” as being the main reasons they would come home to live in New Zealand. Conversely, only a small minority of
returning Kiwis plan to move back to New Zealand for general economic reasons (6%).7
Every Kiwi Counts
Media images
Announcement
Kea New Zealand Global CEO Dr Sue Watson says: “Every Kiwi Counts 2011 offers enormous insight into the
motivations of offshore Kiwis, providing us with rich information to ensure we connect with them, enabling New Zealand’s
diaspora to play an important role in our productive economy.
“Less than a quarter of overseas Kiwis who completed the survey say they plan to return to live in New Zealand
permanently. However, there is strong interest from offshore Kiwis in developing deeper economic connections with and
for New Zealand. That is why Kea New Zealand runs an active network enabling offshore New Zealanders to build tangible,
constructive connections with home,” explains Dr Watson.
At least 600,000 New Zealanders live overseas, including almost one in four of all highly educated Kiwis. This is the
highest proportion of any OECD-member nation, so New Zealand has more to gain than any other developed country from
connecting with its successful citizens overseas and turning their connections and knowledge into a strategic national
asset.8
Ministry of Economic Development deputy secretary Mark Steel said: “Expatriate Kiwis are a quarter of our educated
workforce, so it’s important that we understand their short-term goals and long-term ambitions so we know what they can
contribute if they return. The Every Kiwi Counts survey plays a vital role in this.”
Kea New Zealand acknowledged the contribution made by Air New Zealand (principal sponsor of Every Kiwi Counts 2011) and Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development – ATEED- the project’s other major sponsor.
Footnotes
1. Figure 21, Every Kiwi Counts 2011
2. Figure 20, Every Kiwi Counts 2011
3. Figure 13, Every Kiwi Counts 2011
4. Figure 4, Every Kiwi Counts 2011
5. Figure 6, Every Kiwi Counts 2011
6. Figure 17, Every Kiwi Counts 2011
7. Figure 29, Every Kiwi Counts 2011
8. Dumont, J.C. and G. Lemaître. “Counting immigrants and expatriates in OECD countries: a new perspective.” Mimeo.
OECD. 2004.
About Kea
Kea New Zealand is a not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to reach and motivate expatriate Kiwis and ‘friends of
New Zealand’ to increase their contribution to New Zealand - thereby turning them into a strategic national asset. Kea
New Zealand aims to contribute to the economic growth of New Zealand by helping New Zealand become the most globally
connected nation in the world.
With global headquarters in Auckland, New Zealand, Kea operates four regional offices in Sydney, Shanghai, London and
New York. Kea also maintains a growing network of chapters and other affiliated groups across the world.
Kea is governed by a global board led by its Founding Directors, Sir Stephen Tindall and Professor David Teece and was
established in 2001.