PLT Arrivals Balance Departures

21 April 2006

PLT Arrivals Balance Departures

There were 6,000 permanent and long-term (PLT) arrivals and the same number of departures in March 2006, resulting in a zero net PLT migration balance, Statistics New Zealand said today. This compares with an excess of 1,400 departures in March 2005. The seasonally adjusted series recorded a net PLT inflow of 1,800 in March 2006, compared with a net inflow of 1,500 a month earlier.

In the March 2006 year, there was a net PLT migration gain of 9,700, down 3 percent from the net inflow of 10,000 people in the previous March year. There were 227,000 short-term visitor arrivals in March 2006, down 7,100 (3 percent) from March 2005. More visitors came from China and the United States and fewer from Australia and the United Kingdom compared with the previous March.

Seasonally adjusted monthly visitor arrivals were unchanged in March 2006, following an increase of 2 percent in February 2006. In the year ended March 2006, there were 2.379 million visitor arrivals, down 8,900 (less than 1 percent) on the March 2005 year.

New Zealand residents departed on 123,600 short-term overseas trips in March 2006, down 11,600 (9 percent) from March 2005. There were more trips to Samoa, and fewer to Australia, Hong Kong, Fiji and Japan. In the March 2006 year, there were 1.868 million New Zealand resident short-term departures, up 5 percent on the 1.781 million in the previous March year.

Brian Pink

Government Statistician

ENDS

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