Stats NZ

Net migration at its lowest since 2013

The net migration gain for the year ended June 2021 is the lowest for a June year since 2013, Stats NZ said today.

The provisional net migration gain of 4,700 in the year ended June 2021 was made up of an estimated 45,300 migrant arrivals and 40,500 migrant departures. For June years, this is the lowest number of migrant arrivals since 1986 and the lowest number of migrant departures since 1984.

“Monthly migration since April 2020 has been low, due to the introduction of COVID-19 border and travel restrictions from March 2020, which have limited people’s ability to travel internationally, as well as managed isolation and quarantine capacity constraints,” population indicators manager Tehseen Islam said.

A net gain of 15,600 New Zealand citizens in the year ended June 2021 was partly offset by a net loss of 10,800 non-New Zealand citizens.

This continues the reversal of historical patterns of a net loss of New Zealand citizens and a net gain of non-New Zealand citizens. The net gain of New Zealand citizens is mainly a result of fewer New Zealand citizens departing to live overseas, relative to those arriving.

Created with Highcharts 5.0.14NumberEstimates from March 2020 are provisional and subject to revision.Estimated net migration, by citizenship, rolling year ended, December 2001–June 2021NZ citizen net migrationNon-NZ citizen net migrationTotal net migrationDec-2001Apr-2002Aug-2002Dec-2002Apr-2003Aug-2003Dec-2003Apr-2004Aug-2004Dec-2004Apr-2005Aug-2005Dec-2005Apr-2006Aug-2006Dec-2006Apr-2007Aug-2007Dec-2007Apr-2008Aug-2008Dec-2008Apr-2009Aug-2009Dec-2009Apr-2010Aug-2010Dec-2010Apr-2011Aug-2011Dec-2011Apr-2012Aug-2012Dec-2012Apr-2013Aug-2013Dec-2013Apr-2014Aug-2014Dec-2014Apr-2015Aug-2015Dec-2015Apr-2016Aug-2016Dec-2016Apr-2017Aug-2017Dec-2017Apr-2018Aug-2018Dec-2018Apr-2019Aug-2019Dec-2019Apr-2020Aug-2020Dec-2020Apr-2021-50k050k100kStats NZ

Estimated net migration, by citizenship, rolling year ended, December 2001–June 2021

Created with Highcharts 5.0.14NumberEstimated net migration, by citizenship, rolling year ended, December 2001–June 2021NZ citizen net migrationNon-NZ citizen net migrationTotal net migrationDec-2001Apr-2002Aug-2002Dec-2002Apr-2003Aug-2003Dec-2003Apr-2004Aug-2004Dec-2004Apr-2005Aug-2005Dec-2005Apr-2006Aug-2006Dec-2006Apr-2007Aug-2007Dec-2007Apr-2008Aug-2008Dec-2008Apr-2009Aug-2009Dec-2009Apr-2010Aug-2010Dec-2010Apr-2011Aug-2011Dec-2011Apr-2012Aug-2012Dec-2012Apr-2013Aug-2013Dec-2013Apr-2014Aug-2014Dec-2014Apr-2015Aug-2015Dec-2015Apr-2016Aug-2016Dec-2016Apr-2017Aug-2017Dec-2017Apr-2018Aug-2018Dec-2018Apr-2019Aug-2019Dec-2019Apr-2020Aug-2020Dec-2020Apr-2021-50k050k100kStats NZ
Year-monthNZ citizen net migrationNon-NZ citizen net migrationTotal net migration
Dec-2001-28,08958,35430,265
Jan-2002-25,21462,17336,959
Feb-2002-21,80663,83042,024
Mar-2002-20,37867,16646,788
Apr-2002-19,62769,13549,508
May-2002-17,62570,65253,027
Jun-2002-17,22872,30855,080
Jul-2002-16,73473,44656,712
Aug-2002-16,17674,84758,671
Sep-2002-15,74175,50259,761
Oct-2002-15,74475,83560,091
Nov-2002-15,10975,77760,668
Dec-2002-14,42575,21660,791
Jan-2003-13,65074,39460,744
Feb-2003-12,78573,73360,948
Mar-2003-12,21771,63359,416
Apr-2003-11,26970,21158,942
May-2003-10,82669,04458,218
Jun-2003-10,36467,31156,947
Jul-2003-10,25565,18954,934
Aug-2003-10,27762,61452,337
Sep-2003-10,11360,07049,957
Oct-2003-10,04857,90247,854
Nov-2003-10,64154,85744,216
Dec-2003-11,22352,63941,416
Jan-2004-11,56750,05038,483
Feb-2004-12,62047,75135,131
Mar-2004-13,36745,58832,221
Apr-2004-14,26543,61029,345
May-2004-15,17042,26127,091
Jun-2004-15,97240,52824,556
Jul-2004-16,35538,28421,929
Aug-2004-16,85937,22220,363
Sep-2004-17,69636,27818,582
Oct-2004-18,35635,43617,080
Nov-2004-18,97634,53715,561
Dec-2004-19,82533,96514,140
Jan-2005-20,56533,16812,603
Feb-2005-20,92932,49911,570
Mar-2005-21,53832,52010,982
Apr-2005-22,19632,96110,765
May-2005-22,52933,45810,929
Jun-2005-22,70633,80511,099
Jul-2005-23,47633,57810,102
Aug-2005-23,68533,85910,174
Sep-2005-23,81234,32810,516
Oct-2005-24,18234,55610,374
Nov-2005-24,33135,25010,919
Dec-2005-24,52535,79111,266
Jan-2006-24,68036,06011,380
Feb-2006-24,61837,21312,595
Mar-2006-24,25538,03413,779
Apr-2006-24,35938,13513,776
May-2006-24,49837,96213,464
Jun-2006-25,03438,50513,471
Jul-2006-24,92439,95915,035
Aug-2006-25,46740,59915,132
Sep-2006-25,94841,25615,308
Oct-2006-26,42741,90815,481
Nov-2006-26,55843,29016,732
Dec-2006-27,40344,11616,713
Jan-2007-28,10144,74216,641
Feb-2007-29,02545,05316,028
Mar-2007-29,96645,84715,881
Apr-2007-30,75346,31615,563
May-2007-31,74446,60514,861
Jun-2007-32,46546,98414,519
Jul-2007-33,32047,00313,683
Aug-2007-33,90947,58413,675
Sep-2007-34,50747,78613,279
Oct-2007-34,62947,66513,036
Nov-2007-35,29247,40612,114
Dec-2007-36,29447,33111,037
Jan-2008-36,95147,05910,108
Feb-2008-37,67248,35210,680
Mar-2008-37,93748,50410,567
Apr-2008-38,10648,99510,889
May-2008-38,19950,01911,820
Jun-2008-38,55050,59012,040
Jul-2008-38,61551,39812,783
Aug-2008-39,09951,64412,545
Sep-2008-39,01451,41712,403
Oct-2008-39,31851,61412,296
Nov-2008-39,46351,13411,671
Dec-2008-38,37250,64312,271
Jan-2009-37,59750,52012,923
Feb-2009-35,82949,55713,728
Mar-2009-34,38748,43014,043
Apr-2009-32,42947,24914,820
May-2009-30,14345,76515,622
Jun-2009-27,69943,96716,268
Jul-2009-25,66142,61616,955
Aug-2009-23,23340,59017,357
Sep-2009-21,48239,38817,906
Oct-2009-19,54737,73018,183
Nov-2009-17,93736,19318,256
Dec-2009-16,50834,77718,269
Jan-2010-15,28333,24117,958
Feb-2010-15,37431,42116,047
Mar-2010-15,54430,17614,632
Apr-2010-15,83628,95613,120
May-2010-16,81827,73110,913
Jun-2010-18,00826,9778,969
Jul-2010-19,04126,3387,297
Aug-2010-20,43926,5246,085
Sep-2010-21,50726,1874,680
Oct-2010-23,19226,4463,254
Nov-2010-24,46126,2811,820
Dec-2010-26,38026,103-277
Jan-2011-28,15125,686-2,465
Feb-2011-29,34726,303-3,044
Mar-2011-31,60026,117-5,483
Apr-2011-33,47626,291-7,185
May-2011-34,80226,405-8,397
Jun-2011-36,13426,730-9,404
Jul-2011-37,71026,704-11,006
Aug-2011-38,42826,435-11,993
Sep-2011-39,37026,750-12,620
Oct-2011-40,27326,205-14,068
Nov-2011-41,22426,555-14,669
Dec-2011-42,77226,628-16,144
Jan-2012-43,51926,721-16,798
Feb-2012-44,38527,125-17,260
Mar-2012-43,92428,240-15,684
Apr-2012-43,91028,078-15,832
May-2012-43,96228,669-15,293
Jun-2012-43,87728,894-14,983
Jul-2012-43,44728,645-14,802
Aug-2012-43,41628,738-14,678
Sep-2012-43,11928,928-14,191
Oct-2012-42,47829,774-12,704
Nov-2012-41,68430,013-11,671
Dec-2012-40,67630,268-10,408
Jan-2013-39,52430,980-8,544
Feb-2013-38,12230,704-7,418
Mar-2013-36,75130,940-5,811
Apr-2013-35,19331,889-3,304
May-2013-33,65832,298-1,360
Jun-2013-31,94432,753809
Jul-2013-30,12033,6033,483
Aug-2013-28,34734,3786,031
Sep-2013-26,51434,6318,117
Oct-2013-24,82135,51210,691
Nov-2013-23,28336,70213,419
Dec-2013-20,81038,10117,291
Jan-2014-19,15239,21620,064
Feb-2014-17,30941,10123,792
Mar-2014-15,74942,53426,785
Apr-2014-14,25243,52729,275
May-2014-13,20144,43531,234
Jun-2014-12,22445,68633,462
Jul-2014-11,17647,95736,781
Aug-2014-10,45350,14839,695
Sep-2014-9,85852,12742,269
Oct-2014-9,04353,51244,469
Nov-2014-8,44854,63246,184
Dec-2014-7,55654,96947,413
Jan-2015-6,58456,37949,795
Feb-2015-6,45056,66350,213
Mar-2015-6,00557,27151,266
Apr-2015-5,99257,82351,831
May-2015-5,49958,35952,860
Jun-2015-5,21058,63753,427
Jul-2015-5,17659,78054,604
Aug-2015-4,86560,24855,383
Sep-2015-4,80161,29856,497
Oct-2015-4,78262,48057,698
Nov-2015-4,62363,59258,969
Dec-2015-4,72764,53659,809
Jan-2016-4,42765,10360,676
Feb-2016-4,04666,71862,672
Mar-2016-3,56766,72263,155
Apr-2016-3,56866,93163,363
May-2016-3,45567,44963,994
Jun-2016-3,16367,77664,613
Jul-2016-3,01667,68864,672
Aug-2016-2,73366,76764,034
Sep-2016-2,40566,28163,876
Oct-2016-2,34865,99363,645
Nov-2016-2,28065,47463,194
Dec-2016-2,22665,11562,889
Jan-2017-2,43264,90162,469
Feb-2017-2,57564,19961,624
Mar-2017-2,65964,00861,349
Apr-2017-2,68063,49660,816
May-2017-2,80862,73259,924
Jun-2017-2,91562,44859,533
Jul-2017-3,12561,87058,745
Aug-2017-3,55861,59258,034
Sep-2017-3,97060,50656,536
Oct-2017-4,21959,57255,353
Nov-2017-4,49959,01754,518
Dec-2017-4,84658,12653,280
Jan-2018-5,13058,21453,084
Feb-2018-5,27657,14251,866
Mar-2018-5,83656,76850,932
Apr-2018-6,04056,23150,191
May-2018-6,22756,14049,913
Jun-2018-6,79155,78648,995
Jul-2018-7,15455,76648,612
Aug-2018-7,25256,13248,880
Sep-2018-7,28356,71149,428
Oct-2018-7,55756,92549,368
Nov-2018-7,57156,80949,238
Dec-2018-7,61157,18049,569
Jan-2019-7,54056,64749,107
Feb-2019-7,39856,91049,512
Mar-2019-7,09156,77649,685
Apr-2019-6,52156,51049,989
May-2019-6,06457,18551,121
Jun-2019-5,60457,70552,101
Jul-2019-4,61058,41653,806
Aug-2019-3,52160,07656,555
Sep-2019-2,71561,84259,127
Oct-2019-1,55565,15363,598
Nov-2019-3867,76367,725
Dec-20192,90269,68672,588
Jan-20204,46172,80577,266
Feb-20206,58578,52185,106
Mar-202011,32780,35391,680
Apr-202013,06776,86089,927
May-202014,98272,48487,466
Jun-202017,13867,70784,845
Jul-202019,39759,12978,526
Aug-202021,32851,34772,675
Sep-202023,10842,54365,651
Oct-202023,80233,06456,866
Nov-202023,59824,91048,508
Dec-202020,84718,72439,571
Jan-202120,2248,18628,410
Feb-202119,143-5,67113,473
Mar-202115,785-12,5563,229
Apr-202115,882-12,1863,696
May-202116,017-11,8174,200
Jun-202115,552-10,8424,711

“As a result of COVID-19, the number of New Zealand citizens leaving this country to live overseas has slowed considerably in the past year, and far fewer non-New Zealand citizens migrated to New Zealand,” Mr Islam said.


Diagram showing international migration estimates (provisional), year ended June 2021. Text alternative available below diagram.


Text alternative for diagram International migration estimates (provisional), year ended June 2021

Low monthly migration continues

There were a provisionally estimated 3,200 migrant arrivals and 2,300 migrant departures in June 2021. In the past 12 months, there was an average of 3,800 migrant arrivals and 3,400 migrant departures each month. 

Created with Highcharts 5.0.14NumberEstimates from March 2020 are provisional and subject to revision.Estimated migrant arrivals and departures, monthly, June 2018–2021Migrant arrivalsMigrant departuresJun-2018Jul-2018Aug-2018Sep-2018Oct-2018Nov-2018Dec-2018Jan-2019Feb-2019Mar-2019Apr-2019May-2019Jun-2019Jul-2019Aug-2019Sep-2019Oct-2019Nov-2019Dec-2019Jan-2020Feb-2020Mar-2020Apr-2020May-2020Jun-2020Jul-2020Aug-2020Sep-2020Oct-2020Nov-2020Dec-2020Jan-2021Feb-2021Mar-2021Apr-2021May-2021Jun-2021010k20k30kStats NZ

Estimated migrant arrivals and departures, monthly, June 2018–2021

Created with Highcharts 5.0.14NumberEstimated migrant arrivals and departures, monthly, June 2018–2021Migrant arrivalsMigrant departuresJun-2018Jul-2018Aug-2018Sep-2018Oct-2018Nov-2018Dec-2018Jan-2019Feb-2019Mar-2019Apr-2019May-2019Jun-2019Jul-2019Aug-2019Sep-2019Oct-2019Nov-2019Dec-2019Jan-2020Feb-2020Mar-2020Apr-2020May-2020Jun-2020Jul-2020Aug-2020Sep-2020Oct-2020Nov-2020Dec-2020Jan-2021Feb-2021Mar-2021Apr-2021May-2021Jun-202105k10k15k20k25kStats NZ
Year-monthMigrant arrivalsMigrant departures
Jun-20189,5717,543
Jul-201812,9048,204
Aug-201811,7657,150
Sep-201812,0016,570
Oct-201811,7946,344
Nov-201811,7277,320
Dec-201813,0989,957
Jan-201914,0087,682
Feb-201913,2096,423
Mar-201910,8597,316
Apr-20198,7026,845
May-201910,2667,428
Jun-201911,1858,177
Jul-201914,3077,902
Aug-201913,9536,589
Sep-201914,7896,786
Oct-201916,8296,908
Nov-201918,2239,690
Dec-201919,41111,408
Jan-202019,9038,899
Feb-202021,0736,446
Mar-202016,2436,126
Apr-20201,1351,031
May-20201,3811,005
Jun-20202,4542,067
Jul-20203,7723,686
Aug-20204,6643,151
Sep-20204,7113,732
Oct-20204,3283,193
Nov-20203,8713,696
Dec-20204,1255,059
Jan-20213,4673,624
Feb-20213,0913,402
Mar-20213,1413,268
Apr-20213,3612,790
May-20213,5192,639
Jun-20213,2072,310

Text alternative for diagram International migration estimates (provisional), year ended June 2021

The diagram shows outcomes-based (provisional) estimates of migration, by citizenship (New Zealand or non-New Zealand) for the year ended June 2021. Overall, net migration is 4,700, made up of a net gain of 15,600 NZ citizens (based on 27,700 migrant arrivals, a 36 percent decrease on the year ended June 2020, and 12,100 migrant departures, a 53 percent decrease) and a net loss of 10,800 non-NZ citizens (based on 17,600 migrant arrivals, an 85 percent decrease on the year ended June 2020, and 28,400 migrant departures, a 42 percent decrease).

Related topics
Related releases