There was a net gain of 54,623 migrants in the 12 months to September, up 10.3% on the 12 months to September last year, according to the latest provisional estimates from Statistics NZ.

Long term migrant arrivals and departures both increased during that period but arrivals grew at a faster rate, pushing up the net gain.

There were 149,968 migrant arrivals (+5.8%) and 95,345 migrant departures (+3.5%), giving the net gain of 54,623 (+10.3%).

Statistics NZ said this country's net migration rate was about 11.4 per 1000 people in the year to June, which was a similar rate to Australia's in 2017-2018, but more than triple the recent immigration rates in the UK and US.

There was a net a net loss 13,177 New Zealand citizens in the year to September and a net gain 67,800 citizens of other countries.

There has been a big change in where migratnts are coming from, with South Africa becoming the biggest source of net migration, with a net gain of 10,024 South African citizens in the year to September, up from 5973 in the previous 12 months.

That put South Africa ahead of China with a net gain of 9331 in the year to September plus another 649 from Hong Kong, India 8169 and the Philippines 7207.

Of the 149,968 long term arrivals in the year to September, 44,160 were New Zealand and Australian citizens (who do not require visas), 33,295 were on work visas, 31,361 were on visitor visas, 27,242 were on student visas and 12,822 were on residence visas.

The comment stream on this story is now closed.