There was a net migration loss from New Zealand to Australia of 30,000 people in the December 2024 year, Stats NZ has revealed.
Stats NZ international migration statistics spokesperson Sarah Drake said the net migration loss from New Zealand to Australia was similar to the 29,400 loss in 2023.
“The loss in 2024 is the largest for a calendar year since 2012, but below the record loss of 43,700 in the March 2012 year.”
It is a long-standing trend with the net migration loss to Australia averaging around 30,000 per year between 2004 and 2013.
This dropped to around 3000 between 2014 and 2019.
The net migration loss consisted of 47,300 migrant departures to Australia and 17,300 migrant arrivals from Australia.
“The annual record for migrant departures to Australia was 62,800 in the June 2012 year,” Drake said.
Australia was the main destination for New Zealand citizen migrants, with 58% of the 69,300 migrant departures crossing the ditch.
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 2024, 35% were born outside New Zealand.
Overall there was a provisional net migration gain of 54,100 to NZ from the rest of the world (excluding Australia) in 2024.
“This was well down on the net gain of 157,300 in 2023, which was a record for a calendar year.
“The net migration gain from the rest of the world in 2024 more than offset the net migration loss of 30,000 to Australia.”
