Nearly 40% of the Kiwis who left the country last year were aged under 30, new migration data shows, as New Zealand experienced its largest calendar year net loss of citizens.
Stats NZ released provisional data for the 2024 calendar year earlier today, showing 72,000 citizens left the country, which more than offset 24,900 arrivals.
Therefore, there was a net migration loss of 47,100 New Zealand citizens last year, according to provisional figures. This compared with a net loss of 43,300 in 2023.
The record net loss for a 12-month period was 48,500 citizens in the 12 months to August. But, the overall net loss of citizens in 2024 is the largest for a calendar year.
Overall net migration gain down
Overall net migration last year, which accounts for all arrivals and departures, was down from the previous year with a net annual gain of 27,100.
This compares to the record net gain of 128,300 in 2023.
Stats NZ international migration statistics spokesperson Sarah Drake said “ups and downs in net migration are a feature of New Zealand’s history”.
“These have been much larger in 2023 and 2024.
“The main driver of the fall in net migration in 2024 was fewer migrant arrivals of non-New Zealand passport holders.”
Citizens of India, the Philippines, and China accounted for two-thirds of the fall in annual net migration of non-New Zealand citizens.
72,000 Kiwis leave New Zealand last year
About four in 10 Kiwi citizens leaving New Zealand were under 30, the data shows.
Those aged between 18 and 30 made up 27,400 of the 72,000 migrant departures of citizens last year — or around 38%.
Of the overall 72,000 New Zealanders who departed, about 56% went to Australia, according to the latest Stats NZ estimates.
The rate at which New Zealand citizens were leaving has plateaued since May, but remained at significantly higher levels than previous years in December.
Meanwhile, for non-New Zealand citizens, migrants aged 18 to 44 made up 64% of the 130,900 migrant arrivals in 2024.
Where will net migration figures go next?
Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon said the month-to-month trend in December was mostly a continuation of recent trends.
He said: “Foreign arrivals picked up for a fourth straight month, and while they’re well down from the peaks seen in 2023, they are running above pre-Covid levels.
“Meanwhile, departures of New Zealanders continued to slow from their highs, as they have been doing since May last year.”
Gordon said “the risks around net migration are now looking more two-sided.
“On the one hand, relatively weaker job prospects here compared to Australia could continue to support outflows, while on the other hand government policy is starting to turn back towards attracting skilled migrants.”
He cautioned a month-to-month fall in foreign departures was tricky to read into as it’s harder than usual to distinguish between short-term and permanent movements around the holiday season.
