People leaving New Zealand hit record levels in the year to November 2024, in another sign of the weakness in the country’s economy that moved to a technical recession in the third quarter.
Data released by Statistics New Zealand on Thursday showed that 127,800 people left the Pacific nation in the year to November, up 28% on the prior 12 month period. This was provisionally the highest number of people leaving in an annual period ever, according to the statistics bureau.
Of those leaving, more than 50% were New Zealand citizens, according to the data.
New Zealand, which has a population of just 5.3 million, has seen its economy struggle over the last couple of years as the central bank increased the official cash rate to dampen historically high inflation.
Michael Gordon, senior economist at Westpac said that a lot of people come to New Zealand for work opportunities and when these dry up people leave.
"It’s about work opportunities, especially here (New Zealand) versus Australia. Australia’s economy is still running reasonably strongly," Gordon said. “There are more opportunities over there now so we are seeing quite high outflows of Kiwis.”
However, people leaving does continue to be offset by inward migration.
Statistics New Zealand said net migration – the number of people moving to New Zealand permanently minus those leaving New Zealand – was at 30,600 in the year to November 2024. Net migration peaked in the year ended October 2023 at 135,700.
Gordon added that net migration was now back at historic averages and that over the longer term net migration would support the country's economy.
“It’s something to keep in mind, that for a big chunk of the world, New Zealand is an attractive place to live, but also for us (New Zealanders) there are also places look more attractive Australia, or going to the U.S. or the UK,” Gordon said.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
9 Comments
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Jay
Well well, Jacinda Ardern's woke legacy has finally driven New Zealanders to this. This is just a damning indictment of her past policies, which prioritized ideological crusades over the well-being of everyday Kiwis. Instead of addressing the housing crisis, rising costs, or crumbling healthcare, Ardern focused on pushing globalist health and social narratives, severely mismanaging the economy and woke theatrics. It's no wonder people are leaving in droves when she's left a mess too great for Luxon and the Nats to be able to fix any time soon.
The so-called "kindness" of her leadership has left New Zealanders with empty wallets, empty promises, and now, empty homes.
wallace
127,800 people left but only 50% 63,900 were New Zealanders. That is offset by immigration. Does not sound like a major problem.
JustAGoodOleBoy
Middle-Earth America needs to be made great again.
Underworld
Jay
The National party was in power in 2024. It was the National Party that crashed the economy. Nobody disputes this.
GuruMick
Yes Jay, I am sure "woke " policies are to blame.
Or maybe economics.
New Zealand has a small population ,small market for sales, not much mining, lots of sheep and the prettiest scenery on earth.
Before "woke ", I would consider distance to export markets increasing costs, lack of a big tech sector, lack of resources in mining and similar ,generally just a long way from the markets in Asia and Europe.
But hey buddy, if "woke " is your thing, who am I too disagree.
Chico3
Despite the politics going on in New Zealand, that photo of Auckland is just stunning. Definitely one of my favorite cities in the world.
iron man
There is another issue, I have a few ex school colleagues there, rep running for Eur. dome pretty severe weather and a fault line running from the W. off S..Island to E.of N.Island. Gov not got sufficient income to cover losses, Ins companies pull the woolly hat over their eyes (and computer screens), Maybe they should have stood by providing lambs instead of milk?
iron man
GM, sorry two decades out of date. Sheep gone, land bashed with fertiliser to provide long lush green grass for dairy herds, Frontera?, nitrogen rich fertiliser entered the waterways and turned them into algae infected green moss.
Mankind at it's best again.
K3PO
And it's always been like that - the main reason is that Australia eased its policy on NZers working and getting residency, and so many have moved.
The Labour government COVID response largesse created high inflation that is now under control, but the economy is stunted as a result.