Migration is adding just over 1000 people a month to New Zealand’s total population, down from almost 6000 a month a year ago and 9000 a month two years ago.

Statistics NZ estimates that 138,923 people arrived long term in the 12 months to June 2025, while 125,221 left long term, giving a net gain of 13,701 for the year to June.

By comparison, in the 12 months to June 2024 there were 181,042 long term arrivals and 110,658 long term departures, giving a net gain of 70,385.

And in the 12 months to June 2023, there were 207,157 long term arrivals and 98,760 long term departures, giving a net gain of 108,397.

So over the last two years, long term arrivals have declined by 68,234 (-32.9%) and long term departures have increased by 26,461 (26.8%), while the overall annual net gain has declined by 94,696 (-87%).

Most of the change over the last two years has been driven by fewer non-NZ citizens coming to this country long term, while the number of NZ citizens leaving the country long term or coming back after an extended stay overseas has been relatively stable.

In the 12 months to June this year, 25,352 NZ citizens arrived back in the country long term, compared to 24,250 in the 12 months to June 2023.

That figure has changed relatively little over the last four years.

Over the same period, the number of NZ citizens leaving the country long term has increased from 60,431 to 71,850, up 18.9% over the last two years.

The big movement has been in the number of foreign citizens coming here long term, which has declined from 182,907 in the 12 months to June 2023, to 113,571 in the 12 months to June this year, a decrease of 69,336 people a year (-37.9%).

The impact of that was magnified by increasing numbers of foreign citizens leaving the country long term, which climbed from 38,329 in the 12 months to June 2023, to 53,372 in the 12 months to June this year, an increase of 15,043 (39.2%).

So overall, there was a net loss 46,488 NZ citizens in the 12 months to June this year compared to a net loss of 36,181 NZ citizens in the 12 months to June 2023.

Over the same period there was a net gain of 60,199 citizens of other countries, down from 144,578 in the 12 months to June 2023.

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Net long term migration – annual 12-16
Net long term migration monthly gain or loss 12-16

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