New Zealand net migration continues to spike; touches 72,100 in the August 2017 year-end

Annual net migration to New Zealand increased in the year ending August 2017, with the number of foreign migrants entering the country exceeding the number of Kiwis leaving it.

The Australasian country’s annual net migration touched 72,100 in the year ending August, an increase of 3,000 compared to the same period in 2016, according to Statistics New Zealand. About three out of four migrants arriving in the country were non-New Zealanders. On the other hand, the number of New Zealanders leaving the country was 1,500 more than those who returned in 2017. Overall, the net migration saw 73,500 people born out of New Zealand arriving in the year ending August.

The highest number of migrants came from China, with their number reaching 9,900, though it reduced by 1.7 percent compared to the same period in 2016. Indians made up the second largest number of migrants at 7,300 net, though their net migration also fell by 32 percent from the same period in 2016. The number of student visas granted to Indians also fell by 27 percent, said scoop.co.nz.

The number of UK migrants increased the most on a net basis, as their number grew by 47 percent to 6,700, followed by net migration from South Africa, which rose by 44 percent to 4,900.

Chinese were the largest number of migrants arriving on residence visas, as their number increased by 6.1 percent to 3,300 in the year ending August. The number of work visas issued rose by 16 percent to 45,800, while the student visa issuance fell by 7.7 percent to 24,000.

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