Net migration remains high
Annual net migration has remained at high levels since the December 2014 year, says Stats NZ.
“Since late 2014, annual net migration has ranged between 48,000 and 64,000,” population indicators manager Tehseen Islam said. “The only previous time net migration was at these levels was for a short period in the early 2000s.”
Migrant arrivals were provisionally estimated at 151,000 and migrant departures at 95,100 in the 12 months ended April 2019. This resulted in a provisional estimate of annual net migration of 55,800.
Easter boosts visitor arrivals in April
Total overseas visitor arrivals were 307,400 in April 2019, up 23,500 compared with the same month last year.
The change in the timing of Easter boosted April 2019 arrivals, notably from Australia, says Stats NZ. Both total and Australian visitor numbers were similar to 2017, when Easter also occurred in April.
There were 130,800 visitor arrivals from Australia in April 2019, up 21,000 from April 2018. Other increases were the UK up 3,500, Hong Kong up 2,000, the US up 1,600.
For the year ended April 2019, there were 3.8 million visitor arrivals, up 99,400 from the year ended April 2018.
“Trans-Tasman travel was lifted by the timing of Easter this year, which fell in the school holidays and close to Anzac Day,” says population indicators manager Tehseen Islam. “This made it an attractive option for many holidaymakers, but particularly those visiting family and friends.”
Of visitor arrivals, 87,500 were to visit family and friends in April 2019, up 11,700 from April 2018.
The timing of Easter definitely affected international travel patterns in March through to April 2019 compared with 2018. There was no clear evidence that the Christchurch mosque attacks affected visitor arrivals.
There were 243,300 New Zealand-resident travellers who arrived back from an overseas trip in April 2019, up 7,400 from the same month last year. This number was also lifted by the timing of Easter this year.
Trips to Australia led the increase in resident traveller arrivals, up 6,300 compared with the same month last year. Other major changes were the US down 1,800, Indonesia up 1,300 and Japan up 1,100.
The total number of New Zealand-resident traveller arrivals for the year ended April 2019 was 3.06m, up 168,000 from the year ended April 2018.
