Statistics NZ estimates New Zealand experienced a net population gain from migration of 49,427 in the 12 months to June.

That was up 1.0%, or 509, from the net gain of 48,918 in the previous 12 months, but well below the gains of between 53,243 in the 12 months to June 2015 and 58,688 in the 12 months to June 2017, with a peak of 63,834 in the 12 months to June 2016.

The latest gain of 49,427 was the result of 145,292 new long term arrivals and 95,866 long term departures.

The reduction in the net gain has mainly been driven by more people leaving the country long term, which has steadily risen for the last three years, while long term arrivals have remained near their June year 2016 peak of 145,831 for the last three years.

There was a net loss of 13,427 New Zealand citizens in the 12 months to June, almost double the net loss of 6881 in the previous 12 months.

Conversely there was a net gain of 62,583 non-New Zealand citizens in the 12 months to June, up 12.6% compared to the previous 12 months.

The biggest source country for new migrants remains China, with 10,055 long term arrivals from that country in the 12 months to June, up 31.9% compared to the previous 12 months.

That was followed by 8465 people from South Africa +54.8%, which is now the second biggest source country for new migrants, relegating India to third position with 8416 arrivals -12.3%, and 6805 from the Philippines -14.2%.

By visa type, the biggest single group were Australian and New Zealand citizens with 43,318 long term arrivals, followed by 31,868 on work visas, 30,381 visitor visas, 25,585 student visas 12,929 residency visas.

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