Net Migration Loss To Australia In 2023

There was a net migration loss of 27,000 people from New Zealand to Australia in 2023, according to provisional estimates released by Stats NZ today.

"The net migration loss from New Zealand to Australia in 2023 was larger than the loss of 14,600 in 2022," population indicators manager Tehseen Islam said.

"However, it should be noted that this is below the record loss of 43,700 in the March 2012 year."

Traditionally, there has been a net migration loss from New Zealand to Australia. This averaged about 30,000 a year during 2004-2013, and 3,000 a year during 2014-2019.

The net migration loss in 2023 was made up of 44,500 migrant departures to Australia, and 17,500 migrant arrivals from Australia.

"The annual record for migrant departures to Australia was 62,800 in the June 2012 year," Islam said.

These estimates use data from Stats NZ and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, whose data is currently available up to December 2023).

New Zealand citizens drive trans-Tasman migration

New Zealand citizens were the main driver of trans-Tasman migration flows in 2023, reflecting a long-standing historical pattern.

In 2023, New Zealand citizens - people travelling on New Zealand passports - made up 84 percent of the 44,500 migrant departures to Australia, and 61 percent of the 17,500 migrant arrivals from Australia.

Australia the main destination for New Zealand citizen migrants

Of the 69,900 migrant departures of New Zealand citizens to all countries in 2023, 53 percent were to Australia. Based on available data from 1979, this share has fluctuated between 41 percent in 1991 and 77 percent in 2012.

Overseas-born New Zealand citizens migrating to Australia

Since the early 2000s, people who were born outside New Zealand have made up a growing proportion of New Zealand citizens migrating to Australia.

Of New Zealand citizens who migrated to Australia in 2023, 36 percent were born outside New Zealand. This compares with an average of 33 percent in 2016-2019 (before COVID-19) and 22 percent in 2004-2011.

This is slightly higher than the overseas-born share of New Zealand's population, which increased from 19.5 percent in 2001 to 27.4 percent in 2018 ). The equivalent 2023 Census figure will be published on 3 October 2024.

However, migrants are generally concentrated in young adult ages, where the overseas-born percentage is higher. Of the 69,900 migrant departures of New Zealand citizens to all countries in 2023, 52 percent were aged 20-39 years. The overseas-born percentage of the New Zealand population aged 20-39 years in the 2018 Census was 38 percent.

Migration to Australia via New Zealand (published June 2017) has historical context relating to this release.

Record net migration gain from the rest of the world

There was a provisional net migration gain of 155,800 to New Zealand from the rest of the world (excluding Australia) in 2023. This was a record for a calendar year and more than offset the net migration loss to Australia. Aside from Australia, Stats NZ has no data on the destination of migrants departing New Zealand.

In the 16 years from 2004 to 2019, net migration gains from the rest of the world averaged 46,100 a year.

Changes in migration are typically due to a combination of factors. These include relative economic and labour market conditions between New Zealand and the rest of the world, and immigration policy in New Zealand and other countries.

A migrant is someone changing their country of residence, irrespective of their citizenship or visa type. Migrants include both New Zealand and non-New Zealand citizens, as both affect the population living in New Zealand. A 12-month threshold is generally used internationally to differentiate migrants from short-term travellers .

The latest monthly International migration release contains the most recent Stats NZ migration estimates, including revisions to previous estimates.

Text alternative for diagram Estimated migration, Year ended December 2023

Diagram shows estimates of migration between New Zealand and Australia, and New Zealand and the rest of the world for the year ended December 2023. Overall, net migration is 128,800, made up of a net loss with Australia of 27,000 (based on 17,500 migrant arrivals, a 13 percent decrease on 2022, and 44,500 migrant departures, a 28 percent increase) and a net gain of 155,800 with the rest of the world (excluding Australia) (based on 219,500 migrant arrivals, a 121 percent increase on 2022, and 63,700 migrant departures, a 7 percent increase). All estimates are provisional as of 10 July 2024, and include adjustments for non-response to country of last permanent residence. Source: Stats NZ.