Australian migration to New Zealand hits new high

More people are moving from Australia to New Zealand than vice versa in a development that may put an end to decades of Australian jokes about the “Kiwi exodus” across the Tasman Sea.

Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, Michael Gordon, a senior economist at Westpac, also cautioned that Australia was now reporting strong jobs growth so the balance could tip back again.

The number of visitors arriving in New Zealand continued to break records in December. The annual gain in migrants has set new records for the last 17 months. It resulted from a record high of 121,900 migrant arrivals and 57,000 migrant departures.

New Zealand’s annual net gain of migrants set records for the last 17 months, with 64,900 in 2015.

Meanwhile, New Zealand and Australia have an agreement which allows most citizens to live and work in either country.

Dr Anna Boucher, from the University of Sydney, said New Zealanders may be leaving due to limitations imposed on them in Australia. The statistics also show that the number of Australians migrating to New Zealand is the largest it has been since 1991.

The increase in migrant arrivals was led by India, up 3,200 to 14,500, Australia up 2,000 to 25,300, China up 1,500 to 11,000 and the Philippines up 1,500 to 5,400 and the increase in arrivals from Australia was for both New Zealand citizens and non-New Zealand citizens.

One victim of this revolving door of political leadership, former treasurer Joe Hockey, previous year insisted that the lower tax rates of New Zealand were “unquestionably” part of the exodus.

“Seeing the growth driven by holiday arrivals is particularly impressive, delivering an outstanding year for everyone in the sector”.

In 2001, the Australian Government announced that New Zealand citizens were required to apply for and be granted a permanent visa if they wished to access certain social security payments, obtain Australian citizenship or sponsor their family members for permanent residence.

Worldwide visitor arrivals for the year ending December 2015 have rounded out 12 months of record growth for the tourism industry – pushing total arrivals to 3.13 million.

Annual net gains from Australia continued to increase with 800 migrants in the December 2015 year.