Those aged up to 19 years and people aged 50-plus made up almost 40% of residence visa approvals in September year

Older people and the very young are making up an increasing share of migrants gaining residence visas.

The latest Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) data shows people over 50 years and those aged up to 19 made up almost 40% of residence visa approvals in the 12 months to September.

That's up from less than a third (31.4%) in the 12 months to September 2017, which is far back as the data series goes.

While residence visa approvals for both younger and older people have increased in total numbers and in their share of total visa approvals, the growth rate has been much greater for the older cohort.

In the September 2017 year, 2682 residence visas were approved for people aged 50-plus, making up 6.3% of total approvals. In the year to September 2026 that number had increased to 5508, making up 11.9% of total residence approvals.

The increase in approvals for the younger cohort has been slower but still significant. In the year to September 2017, 10,698 residence visas were approved for people aged up to 19 years, making up 25.1% of total approvals. By the year to September 2026 that number had increased to 12,972, making up 28% of residence visa approvals.

Taken together, 18,480 residence visas were approved for people who were either aged up to 19 years or were aged 50-plus in the September year, making up 39.8% of total residence visa approvals. (See the table below for the annual breakdowns going back to 2017).

The growth in the proportion of younger and older people migrating to New Zealand has important capacity implications for the provision of social services, particularly health and education.

That pressure is most likely to be felt in the school system, because as well as the almost 13,000 migrant children receiving residence visas in the September year, another 22,905 children aged up to 19 years who were the dependents of migrant workers, received student visas.

It is compulsory for the school aged children of people in NZ on work visas to attend school, and their numbers have also increased, both in their total number, and as a percentage of work visa approvals.

In the 12 months to September 2017, 14,052 student visas were approved for the dependents of migrant workers, equivalent to 6.1% of total work visa approvals.

In the 12 months to September this year, 22,905 student visas were approved for the dependents of migrant workers, equivalent to 11.3% of total work visa approvals over that period.