Statistics New Zealand said that in December the country had a seasonally adjusted net gain (more arrivals than departures) of 2800 migrants.
The monthly net gain has been about this level since September 2013, after increasing from near zero in December 2012.
The increase was due to fewer people departing to live in Australia, as well as more arriving migrants.
Non-New Zealand citizens contributed most of the increase in arrivals.
For the full year to December there was an actual gain of 22,468 migrants, which is the highest annual inflow since 2003. The biggest net gain ever in a calendar year was 38,198 in 2002.
The pace of inbound migration has quickened during the latter part of 2013. If you annualise the latest seasonal figures it gives a rate of about 34,000 net immigrants a year, which is getting close to historically high levels.
In the December 2013 year, migrant arrivals from all countries numbered 94,000, the highest since the October 2003 year (94,900). Migrant departures numbered 71,500, resulting in the net gain of nearly 22,500 migrants. This compared with a net loss of 1,200 migrants in the December 2012 year.
In the latest year, New Zealand had a net loss of 19,600 migrants to Australia, well down from 38,800 a year earlier. Net gains were recorded from most other countries, led by the United Kingdom (5800), China (5700), and India (5400).
The Christchurch rebuild has seen more people coming in on work-related visas, while the fewer numbers going to Australia reflect that fact that at the moment the Australian economy is not viewed favourably compared with New Zealand's immediate prospects.
The strong pace of net inbound migration will inevitably put more pressure on New Zealand's heated housing market, particularly in the very hot Auckland market - as generally around half inbound migrants settle in the country's largest city, at least initially.
The highest net inflow ever recorded was 42,500 in the May 2003 year. The highest net outflow was 43,600 in the July 1979 year.
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