Embargoed until 10:45am – 20 June 2008

Small upturn in net migration

There was a net permanent and long-term (PLT) migration inflow of 4,900 people in the year ended May 2008, above the recent low of 4,600 in the February 2008 year, Statistics New Zealand said today. While PLT departures increased in May 2008, there was a larger increase in PLT arrivals.

Net migration inflows were recorded from the United Kingdom (7,300), India (4,300), the Philippines (3,400), Fiji (2,600), South Africa (2,300) and China (2,100) in the year ended May 2008. However, there was a net outflow of 31,200 to Australia, the highest since the net outflow of 31,800 in the year ended May 2001.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, PLT arrivals exceeded departures by 1,000 for the month of May 2008. This is the highest figure since December 2006. The net PLT series averaged about 400 between January 2007 and April 2008.

Short-term visitor arrivals numbered 140,500 in May 2008, similar to the 140,800 recorded in May 2007. There were more visitor arrivals from China (up 700 or 9 percent) but fewer from the United States (down 1,000 or 8 percent). The 2.483 million visitor arrivals recorded in the May 2008 year were up 30,700 (1 percent) from the previous year.

New Zealand residents departed on 174,000 short-term trips overseas in May 2008, up 2,600 (2 percent) from May 2007. There were more departures to Australia and the Cook Islands (both up 900) and China (up 800). In the May 2008 year, there were just under two million resident departures (1,999,600), up 96,000 (5 percent) from the May 2007 year.

This release will be renamed 'International Travel and Migration' from the June data release on 21 July 2008. This is to better reflect that the release contains statistics on short-term travellers as well as permanent and long-term migrants.

Dallas Welch (Mrs)
Acting Government Statistician
20 June 2008

ENDS

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