NZ’s migration falling as fewer foreigners arrive

New Zealand’s annual net migration dropped in June as fewer foreigners arrived and more Kiwis left.

Annual net migration was at 65,000 in the year to June, from 72,300 in the year to June 2017, Statistics New Zealand said. A net

66,800 foreigners immigrated to New Zealand in the June year, while a net 1800 Kiwis left the country.

The number of non-New Zealanders migrating here dipped 1.4 per cent from the year earlier, at 129,500 from 131,400 in the year to June 2017. The number of non-New Zealanders leaving rose 9.2 per cent to

64,500 in the year.

New Zealand has been experiencing record levels of net migration in recent years, which made rising immigration a key election issue as it strains the country’s infrastructure and is blamed for inflating property markets. Net migration peaked at

72,400 in the July 2017 year, and Stats NZ said that migrants leaving continues to be the key factor in lowering annual net migration and “net migration still remains high by historical standards”.

Increasing numbers of migrants came on work visas in the latest year, up 3 per cent to

46,400, with residence visa numbers down

17 per cent to 13,900 and student visas dropping 1.8 per cent to 23,600.

The United Kingdom remained the biggest source of work-visa migrants, though that number dropped 2.5 per cent to 7300, as did the second and third-largest sources France and Germany, which respectively dropped 3.7 per cent and 8.3 per cent. The biggest increases in work visa arrivals came from China, which rose 22.5 per cent to 2300 in the year, and the Philippines, up 19 per cent to 2500.