Net population gain from migration slumps to just 125 people in April

Economy / news

The number of migrants coming to this country was almost exactly matched by the number of people departing long term in April

11th Jun 25, 12:00pm by Greg Ninness

This country's population growth from migration almost ground to a halt in April, as the number of long term arrivals in the country was almost matched by long term departures.

Statistics NZ estimates that 9329 people arrived in this country long term in April, while 9203 departed long term, giving a net gain of just 125 people for the month.

Outside of the period 2020-2022, which was affected by pandemic-related travel restrictions, that was the lowest net gain for the month of April since 2013.

In April this year, Statistics NZ estimates that 1437 NZ citizens arrived back in this country after an extended stay overseas, while another 5565 departed long term, giving a net loss of 4127 NZ citizens for the month.

At the same time, 7891 citizens of other countries arrived in the country long term and 3638 departed long term, giving a net gain of 4253 non-NZ citizens for the month.

So essentially, the net gain in foreign migrants coming to this country was matched by the net loss of NZ citizens, keeping overall population change from migration roughly neutral for the month of April.

Over the three years to the end of April 2025, there was a net loss of 124,057 NZ citizens and a net gain of 321,647 non-NZ citizens.

The biggest source countries (by citizenship) for non-NZ migrant arrivals in April were India 1508, China 1324, Philippines 603, Australia 409, Sri Lanka 373, UK 269, Fiji 250, Japan 248 and USA 241.

By visa type (which excludes NZ and Australian citizens) the biggest group of arrivals in April were people on work visas 2134, followed by visitor visas 2061, student visas 1823 and residence visas 1355.

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28 Comments

by NZGecko | 11th Jun 25, 12:19pm 1749601152

This is not just the NZ Housing Ponzi death, by a thousand small cuts!!!

With thousands of new housing flooding the market in NZ and virtually no new peeps here to "mind the sheep" in NZ - the Housing Ponzi is being slashed at by a GIANT MACHETE!!

NZ property values down -5% to -10% by Dec 2025, looks likely, shock horror....

by singautim | 11th Jun 25, 12:34pm 1749602053

I'm retired with three Auckland properties (15% still mortgage) and no other wealth. But house prices need to decline much further before regular working Kiwi families can buy and bring up families. If my $2.6m CV becomes $1m then my children can stop renting, NZ will be a better place and maybe we will invest in productive businesses not houses.

by Kate | 11th Jun 25, 12:43pm 1749602630

Do your children rent by choice or is housing themselves just simply out of reach?

We're retired too but both our children (now early 40s) got into the housing market before things went crazy.

I do feel for those Kiwis who went overseas for a number of years and now find they can't buy back in to their own country. It is truly distressing.

by singautim | 11th Jun 25, 3:54pm 1749614047

They are late 30s. One owns a small city apartment with help of bank of mum and dad but the children with families have both parents working and struggling to pay $600pw rent plus the costs of having young children in modern NZ.

by Nifty | 11th Jun 25, 12:50pm 1749603013

Let your children live in your properties? You are part of the problem.

by Retired-Poppy | 11th Jun 25, 1:37pm 1749605868

Nifty, it's also singautim's choice to leave his carefully built wealth to his kids upon his departure or perhaps gift it sooner too. Family can often make the worst tenants. Unlike yourself, he genuinely gives a shit about the next generation and supports house prices falling.

by Nifty | 11th Jun 25, 1:55pm 1749606912

I thought you were anti investor and building up wealth in multiple properties? Now its ok. Odd...

by Retired-Poppy | 11th Jun 25, 2:10pm 1749607823

I am certainly anti speculator/lord. I am not anti long term investor. Judging by your response, I can tell I'm not the only critic you've come across over your often deranged views of the housing market.

Suck it up Buttercup.

by sgtshortcut | 11th Jun 25, 1:58pm 1749607085

That’s like an obese person with a full plate in front of them bemoaning about their starving children, yet you give Nifty shit instead 😂…he definitely has that choice…but if you believe that investing in unproductive assets is the reason we are in this mess, which a lot of you very strongly do, then he is part of the problem…intentionally or not, he is eh?

by Nifty | 11th Jun 25, 2:42pm 1749609752

Exactly...

by linklater01 | 12th Jun 25, 4:03pm 1749700999

singautim,

I find this interesting. Buying property as an investment has made sense for individuals in NZ for decades, but as you now know, this addiction has had significant downside for the country overall-buying and selling houses to each other at ever inflating prices is NOT how countries get rich-and is now pricing many younger Kiwis out of the market altogether.

by sgtshortcut | 11th Jun 25, 2:06pm 1749607607

Only 5-10% by December…jeez, you’ve changed, the old Gecko would’ve been calling numbers way higher…disappointing 😉😂

by NZGecko | 11th Jun 25, 2:51pm 1749610261

SgtShorty, I said -60% to bottom, when this crash plays out by 2030.

So a decade of -5 to -10% yearly losses will do it. Capesh?

by sgtshortcut | 11th Jun 25, 7:18pm 1749626281

The numbers stack…capesh received

by rolande | 12th Jun 25, 6:04am 1749665069

Capice?

by singautim | 11th Jun 25, 12:39pm 1749602355

125 is near enough zero. Keep it there and eventually our infrastructure will catch up with the 1.5 million who arrived since 2000. And we may end up with enough teachers, nurses, bus drivers, etc. It will be less fun for politicians and public servants but better for everyone else.

by redcows | 11th Jun 25, 1:05pm 1749603904

Best news for the economy that we've had in a long time. Just need politicians to suck it up and start looking for real long term gains that make the country a better place.

by profile | 11th Jun 25, 2:37pm 1749609462

"With no migrant arrivals or migrant departures, New Zealand’s population is projected to peak at just under 5.5 million in the early 2040s then slowly decline as deaths outnumber births"

https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/new-zealands-population-likely-to-reach-…

by interesting1234 | 11th Jun 25, 3:20pm 1749612052

Oh no, how will we manage the pension at current settings if we require ever growing numbers of humans? Make hard choices would be the best option, but my gut tells me the can will be kicked until current receivers of it aren't around to have to care.

by profile | 11th Jun 25, 5:03pm 1749618212

Pollies and the media class will kick the can, but the math doesn't add up to see out the baby boomers - let alone 1 in 12 working age on main benefit and half a billion spent on meth annually.

by DonKerrBab | 11th Jun 25, 3:46pm 1749613592

Do you think that a proportion of the people leaving are recent immigrants who have received citizenship but may have lost their job or something else that has made them up stumps? I mean if they were willing to come over they are mobile so would open to transiting back home or elsewhere. It would also help explain the huge amount of Kiwi's leaving, they could be "recent" Kiwi's.

It also helps the employment data look better too.

by Averageman | 12th Jun 25, 9:07am 1749676057

Most immigrants really wanted Australia but couldn't qualify for various reasons. New rules allow Kiwis with Citizenship a direct path into Aussie with only a short time paying tax to becoming full Aussie Citizens. Of off they go. I personally know of six immigrant families all relocated west in the last three years, all before high school started for their kids.

by rolande | 11th Jun 25, 4:02pm 1749614540

I think we need long term population growth, but it's probably a good thing to have a pause for a while so we can catch up on much needed infrastructure improvements first

by JohnTrz | 11th Jun 25, 5:13pm 1749618823

'The number of migrants coming to this country was almost exactly matched by the number of people departing long term in April.'

Good.

by NZGecko | 11th Jun 25, 6:16pm 1749622564

Good.

Puts another death knell in property prices rising, for some years.

by profile | 11th Jun 25, 6:39pm 1749623940

70k NZ citizens left and 25k returned.

https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/international-migration-…

by KH | 11th Jun 25, 5:22pm 1749619328

Good

by The_Golem | 13th Jun 25, 9:52am 1749765146

Maybe people overseas have noticed what's going on here.