More migrants leaving New Zealand than arriving

As reported by The Dominion Post, the total immigration flow into New Zealand stayed positive during the Christchurch earthquakes and the global financial crisis, but authorities believe that more people are actually leaving now than arriving.

Figures recently released by the Labour Department revealed that levels of long- term and permanent migration had gone down from a total gain of 16,500 people in 2010 to 3900 in 2011. But the department also predicted a net loss of around 4000 immigrants for 2012.

Vasantha Krishnan, who is general manager at the Labour and Immigration Research Centre, predicted this would be a short-lived deficit because of a total gain of around 6000 more permanent immigrants in 2013. The long-term and permanent migration data show how many migrants intend to remain in New Zealand for more than a year, or New Zealanders coming back after an absence of over a year.

A report released by the centre shows that migration patterns correlated with a cycle of low migration data at the end of every decade. The financial crisis and the Christchurch quake had interrupted the migration cycle as Kiwis delayed their travel arrangements. According to the report, the more recent rise in trans-Tasman migration shows this phenomenon was temporary as the leaving of New Zealand citizens rose in 2011 towards pre-crisis levels.