Annual net migration down to 71,000
20 October 2017
Annual net migration was 71,000 in the September 2017 year, Stats NZ said today. Migrant arrivals were 131,600 and
migrant departures were 60,600.
"The annual net migration in September 2017 was lower than the record annual net migration of 72,400 reached in the July
2017 year," population statistics senior manager Peter Dolan said. "Compared to this peak, we had fewer arrivals and
more departures in the September 2017 year."
In the year ended September 2017, net migration was mostly driven by non-New Zealand citizens, who provided New Zealand
with a net gain of 72,600 migrants. Migration of New Zealand citizens saw a net loss of 1,600 migrants.
Both arrivals and departures of non-New Zealand citizens were up from a year ago. Arrivals of non-New Zealand citizens
increased from 94,400 in the September 2016 year to 99,600 in the September 2017 year. Departures of non-New Zealand
citizens increased from 22,300 to 27,000 over the same period.
Net migration was 6,800 in September 2017, down from 7,900 in September 2016. Migrant arrivals were 11,100 and migrant
departures were 4,300 in September 2017. The drop in net migration in September 2017 was due to both the decrease in
migrant arrivals (down 600) and the increase in migrant departures (up 500).
Short-term travellers or migrants?
International migration statistics rely on the information provided on passenger cards at the time of travel. The
reported intended length of stay in New Zealand, or intended time away from New Zealand, largely determines whether the
passenger is a short-term traveller or a migrant. Generally, visitor arrivals and resident departures are those
intending to stay or be away for less than one year; migrants are those intending to stay or be away for one year or
more.
For more information about these statistics:
• See CSV files for download
•
ends