Kiwis Leaving New Zealand Continue to Rise

So, the latest immigration news from Stats NZ is out and it’s not looking rosy. Net migration loss of 27,000 Kiwis to Australia. That's 27,000 more of us heading across the ditch than coming back. And this isn’t a fluke; this is a trend that’s been building, spiking to 60,000 departures just in the past year.

Why? Well, let's not kid ourselves. It’s the classic pull of the lucky country – better jobs, better pay, better weather. It’s no surprise more than half of these departures are our own citizens. Kiwis aren’t just holidaying over there; they’re packing up and leaving for good.

Australia's job market is still going strong, unlike ours which is starting to wobble. It's no wonder they’re jumping ship. Just look at the numbers: 138,600 total departures in the year to May, which is a record. But we had 221,400 arrivals too, so we're not completely deserted yet.

Yet the picture isn’t entirely bleak. We’re still gaining people overall – a net migration gain of 82,800. That’s a lot of new faces, new skills, and fresh opportunities for New Zealand. But it’s hard to ignore the fact that the majority of those leaving are Kiwis. And they're leaving in record numbers – the highest since 2012.

Kiwi departures are climbing, spurred by the lure of better opportunities in Australia and perhaps a backlog of delayed travel plans due to Covid. Australia looks pretty good right now when compared to our slowing economy.

So what does this mean for us? Well, it’s a wake-up call. We need to ask ourselves why so many Kiwis are choosing to leave. It’s not just about the money – it’s about the opportunities, the lifestyle, and the prospects for a better future. If we want to keep our best and brightest, we need to offer them a reason to stay. Otherwise, the brain drain to Australia will only get worse.

New Zealand has a lot to offer, but we need to make sure it’s enough to keep our people here. Because at the end of the day, if we keep losing our Kiwis to Australia, we’re losing more than just numbers – we’re losing our future.

And that's the immigration news for Aotearoa today. Follow and subscribe for more immigration content like this. Ka Kite Ano.