This compared with 134,300 migrant arrivals and a provisional record 120,300 migrant departures in the March 2025 year, Stats NZ said.
In the year to February 2026, migrant arrivals were 133,606 and migrant departures were 112,377.
The net migration rate – effectively New Zealand’s annual population gain – remains below the long-run average.
There was an average gain of 31,400 in the March years 2002 to 2025.
ASB economist Wesley Tanuvasa noted the firming trend in migration remained over March but was tempered by downward revisions.
“The Middle East conflict has muddied the outlook,” he said.
“For now, the data continues to support our view that net immigration is converging towards long-term averages faster than the RBNZ [Reserve Bank] anticipated before Middle East ructions occurred.”
The pace at which it continued to do so over 2026 would have important implications for the Official Cash Rate (OCR) and medium-term inflation, Tanuvasa said.
There was an annual net migration loss of 36,500 New Zealand citizens in the March 2026 year.
This compares with a net loss of 42,900 New Zealand citizens in the March 2025 year.
New Zealand has usually had an annual net migration loss of New Zealand citizens, which averaged 19,100 for the March years from 2002 to 2025.
The net loss of New Zealand citizens in the March 2026 year was made up of 26,300 migrant arrivals and 62,800 migrant departures.
Based on the latest estimates, 63% of these migrant departures of New Zealand citizens were to Australia, Stats NZ said.
Of those migrating to Australia, 35% were born outside New Zealand.
Migrant departures of New Zealand citizens peaked at 72,400 in the February 2012 year.
Migrants aged 18 to 30 years made up 24,900 (40%) of the 62,800 migrant departures of New Zealand citizens in the March 2026 year. This compares with 25,800 departures in this age group in the March 2025 year.
There was a net migration gain of 60,800 non-New Zealand citizens in the March 2026 year, up from a net gain of 56,900 in the March 2025 year.
Annual net migration gains of non-New Zealand citizens averaged 50,500 for March years from 2002 to 2025.
The increase in net migration of non-New Zealand citizens in the March 2026 year was mainly due to fewer migrant departures, compared with the March 2025 year.
Citizens of India, China, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka contributed the most to the net migration gain of non-New Zealand citizens in the March 2026 year.
Of these, only citizens of China had a larger net gain compared with the March 2025 year.
On a monthly basis (March 2026 compared to February 2026), immigrant arrivals fell from 14,000 to 12,000. After seasonal adjustments, they were flat.
The raw number of departures also rose (from 7736 to 8386).
After seasonal adjustments, February was counted as a slight fall in departures (down by about 100).
Liam Dann is business editor-at-large for the New Zealand Herald. He is a senior writer and columnist, and also presents and produces videos and podcasts. He joined the Herald in 2003.
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