Emigration out of New Zealand slows down

Statistics New Zealand released a report on 18 May 2007 showing that arrivals to New Zealand exceeded departures during April.

Permanent and long-term (PLT) arrivals exceeded departures by 11,200 during the year ending in April, a slight increase over same period in 2006. The total PLT arrival rate was 82,400 and the total PLT departure rate was 71,200.

The net gain in immigration has lowered somewhat from a peak of 14,800 more immigrants into the country than departures for the year ending in November of 2006.

The current statistics are below the national average of 12,200 net annual immigration recorded during the period 1990-2006.

During April 2007, a net outflow of 2,500 PLT migrants left for Australia, an increase from 1,800 for the same month in the previous year. 300 left for the United Kingdom. New Zealand saw net inflows from Japan, the Phillipines (both 300), India and Fiji (both 200).

PLT arrivals are defined as those who expect to stay in New Zealand longer than twelve months or New Zealand residents returning to the country after an absence of longer than twelve months.

Immigration into New Zealand accounts for less population growth than natural increases in population (more live births than deaths), which averaged 30,000 a year between 1990 and 2006.

Visitors arriving in New Zealand numbered 193,200 in April 2007, up 1,600 from April 2006, an increase of 1%. Visitors increased from China, Thailand, and Korea. Arrivals from the United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia decreased.

In the year ending in April 2007, almost two and a half million visitor arrivals were counted, up more than 50,000 from the previous year ending in April, an increase of 2%.

Residents of New Zealand departed on 163,700 short-term trips in April 2007, slightly above the 162,800 trips taken in April of 2006. Trips increased to China, the Cook Islands, and Australia, but fewer trips to the United Kingdom were recorded.

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