The net population gain from migration set a new record in the 12 months to October, although on a monthly basis the numbers are slowly starting to decline.

There were 131,644 permanent and long term arrivals in the country in the 12 months to October and 60,950 long term departures, giving the record net gain of 70,694 for the 12 months.

However in the month of October there was a net gain of 7650, down very slightly from the net gain of 7943 in October last year.

That suggests that the huge growth in migration that has occurred over the last few years has now peaked and is starting to gradually decline.

There was a net loss of 1417 New Zealand citizens over the 12 months as more New Zealand citizens left the country permanently or long term than arrived back, and a net gain of 72,111 citizens of other countries.

The biggest source country for migrants remains China, with a net gain of 9595 from that country in the 12 months to October and another 711 from Hong Kong.

China was followed by India 6940, the UK 6555 and South Africa 4985 and the Philippines 4664.

The number of people migrating to Australia from this country and the number coming back to this country from across the ditch were almost evenly balanced, with a net loss of just 22 people to Australia in the 12 months to October

Of the 131,644 people who arrived in this country permanetly or long term in the year to October, the biggest group by far (46,013) were on work visas, followed by 38,461 New Zealand and Australian citizens, 24,021 on student visas, 15,936 on residency visas, 6572 on long term visitor visas and 641 others.

Auckland remained the destination of choice for migrants by a substantial margin, with a net gain 36,357 in the year to October.

However there were another 11,000 who did not state where they intended to live when they arrived, so Auckland's net population gain over the year was probably more than 40,000.