Latest news with #SarahDrake
Otago Daily Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Net migration gain hits lowest level in over two years
Photo: NZ Herald A dwindling number of migrant arrivals and rising number of long-term departures has resulted in the smallest net migration gain in more than two years. Stats NZ data showed a net gain of 26,400 for the year ended March, barely a quarter of the level in the previous March year, and the lowest annual gain since the end of 2022. "The fall in net migration in the March 2025 year was mainly due to fewer migrant arrivals, although departures also rose to a provisional annual record," international migration statistics spokesperson Sarah Drake said. Provisionally, there were 149,600 migrant arrivals and 123,300 migrant departures in the year to March, compared with 207,100 migrant arrivals and 106,700 migrant departures in the March 2024 year. There was a record loss of around 70,000 New Zealanders during the year, driven by the 18-30 year age group, with two thirds of all departures headed to Australia. "Easing arrivals and strengthening departures of non-NZ citizens and sizeable net departures of NZ citizens reflect the relatively weak position of the New Zealand economy," ASB senior economist Mark Smith said. "There is a strong case for reducing monetary policy restraint. We expect a 25 basis point official cash rate cut in May, with further cuts conditional on the outlook." Tourism soft Stats NZ said visitor numbers fell in the month of March, but gained more than 1% in the first quarter, although were still down more than 8% on a year ago. Overseas tourist numbers were 3.3 million for the past year, about 15% below pre-Covid levels, with fewer arriving from Australia, Europe and North America, but a modest lift in Chinese tourists. Economics consultancy Infometrics said slower economic growth for major trading partners may weigh on the strength of the tourism recovery. "The recent de-escalation in the trade war between the US and China reduces the some of the downside risks to future arrival numbers from our second and third largest tourism markets," said economist Matthew Allman. Several tourism industry gatherings in recent weeks have highlighted the need to improve the offering to attract overseas visitors, especially from China.
RNZ News
14-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Smallest net migration gain in more than two years
Two thirds of all departures from New Zealand headed to Australia. Photo: RNZ A dwindling number of migrant arrivals and rising number of long term departures has resulted in the smallest net migration gain in more than two years. Stats NZ data showed a net gain of 26,400 for the year ended March, barely a quarter of the level in the previous March year, and the lowest annual gain since the end of 2022. "The fall in net migration in the March 2025 year was mainly due to fewer migrant arrivals, although departures also rose to a provisional annual record," international migration statistics spokesperson Sarah Drake said. Provisionally, there were 149,600 migrant arrivals and 123,300 migrant departures in the year to March, compared with 207,100 migrant arrivals and 106,700 migrant departures in the March 2024 year. There was a record loss of around 70,000 New Zealanders during the year, driven by the 18-30 year age group, with two thirds of all departures headed to Australia. "Easing arrivals and strengthening departures of non-NZ citizens and sizeable net departures of NZ citizens reflect the relatively weak position of the New Zealand economy," ASB senior economist Mark Smith said. "There is a strong case for reducing monetary policy restraint. We expect a 25 basis point official cash rate cut in May, with further cuts conditional on the outlook." Stats NZ said visitor numbers fell in the month of March, but gained more than 1 percent in the first quarter, although were still down more than 8 percent on a year ago. Overseas tourist numbers were 3.3 million for the past year, about 15 percent below pre-Covid levels, with fewer arriving from Australia, Europe and North America, but a modest lift in Chinese tourists. Economics consultancy Infometrics said slower economic growth for major trading partners may weigh on the strength of the tourism recovery. "The recent de-escalation in the trade war between the US and China reduces the some of the downside risks to future arrival numbers from our second and third largest tourism markets," said economist Matthew Allman. Several tourism industry gatherings in recent weeks have highlighted the need to improve the offering to attract overseas visitors , especially from China.
The Advertiser
14-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Kiwis return to skies as US travel warning added
Kiwis are rediscovering their wings and returning to international travel, though their government government is cool on citizens visiting the United States. New Zealanders took three million short-term overseas trips in the year to March 2025, hitting that benchmark for the first time since the pandemic, data from Stats NZ shows. Almost half of those trips were to Australia (1.2 million), ahead of Fiji (212,000) and China including Hong Kong (173,000). With 169,000 trips, the US was next on the list of destinations despite a growing list of stories involving arbitrary detention or searches following tougher border control under President Donald Trump's administration. Last week, the New Zealand government updated its advice to Kiwi travellers, including a warning of these practices. Unlike Australian advice, which places the US on the baseline level of "exercise normal safety precautions", New Zealand has the US on a slightly elevated level of "exercise increased caution". Perhaps with an eye to that advice, the number of Kiwis heading to the US has remained flat in the last year, compared to increased visitation of other countries. Travel to Asia up 21 per cent with the boom led by a jump in people visiting Indonesia (up 57 per cent). At the same time as Kiwis up their travel, fewer migrants are arriving. Similar to Australia, New Zealand welcomed an unprecedented surge in migrants in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, but net migration has dropped to its lowest levels since 2022. "The net migration gain of 26,400 in the March 2025 year was well down from a gain of 100,400 in the March 2024 year," Stats NZ spokesperson Sarah Drake said. There were 150,000 migrant arrivals in the last 12 months, and 123,000 heading for the exit door - a provisional record. Kiwis are rediscovering their wings and returning to international travel, though their government government is cool on citizens visiting the United States. New Zealanders took three million short-term overseas trips in the year to March 2025, hitting that benchmark for the first time since the pandemic, data from Stats NZ shows. Almost half of those trips were to Australia (1.2 million), ahead of Fiji (212,000) and China including Hong Kong (173,000). With 169,000 trips, the US was next on the list of destinations despite a growing list of stories involving arbitrary detention or searches following tougher border control under President Donald Trump's administration. Last week, the New Zealand government updated its advice to Kiwi travellers, including a warning of these practices. Unlike Australian advice, which places the US on the baseline level of "exercise normal safety precautions", New Zealand has the US on a slightly elevated level of "exercise increased caution". Perhaps with an eye to that advice, the number of Kiwis heading to the US has remained flat in the last year, compared to increased visitation of other countries. Travel to Asia up 21 per cent with the boom led by a jump in people visiting Indonesia (up 57 per cent). At the same time as Kiwis up their travel, fewer migrants are arriving. Similar to Australia, New Zealand welcomed an unprecedented surge in migrants in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, but net migration has dropped to its lowest levels since 2022. "The net migration gain of 26,400 in the March 2025 year was well down from a gain of 100,400 in the March 2024 year," Stats NZ spokesperson Sarah Drake said. There were 150,000 migrant arrivals in the last 12 months, and 123,000 heading for the exit door - a provisional record. Kiwis are rediscovering their wings and returning to international travel, though their government government is cool on citizens visiting the United States. New Zealanders took three million short-term overseas trips in the year to March 2025, hitting that benchmark for the first time since the pandemic, data from Stats NZ shows. Almost half of those trips were to Australia (1.2 million), ahead of Fiji (212,000) and China including Hong Kong (173,000). With 169,000 trips, the US was next on the list of destinations despite a growing list of stories involving arbitrary detention or searches following tougher border control under President Donald Trump's administration. Last week, the New Zealand government updated its advice to Kiwi travellers, including a warning of these practices. Unlike Australian advice, which places the US on the baseline level of "exercise normal safety precautions", New Zealand has the US on a slightly elevated level of "exercise increased caution". Perhaps with an eye to that advice, the number of Kiwis heading to the US has remained flat in the last year, compared to increased visitation of other countries. Travel to Asia up 21 per cent with the boom led by a jump in people visiting Indonesia (up 57 per cent). At the same time as Kiwis up their travel, fewer migrants are arriving. Similar to Australia, New Zealand welcomed an unprecedented surge in migrants in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, but net migration has dropped to its lowest levels since 2022. "The net migration gain of 26,400 in the March 2025 year was well down from a gain of 100,400 in the March 2024 year," Stats NZ spokesperson Sarah Drake said. There were 150,000 migrant arrivals in the last 12 months, and 123,000 heading for the exit door - a provisional record. Kiwis are rediscovering their wings and returning to international travel, though their government government is cool on citizens visiting the United States. New Zealanders took three million short-term overseas trips in the year to March 2025, hitting that benchmark for the first time since the pandemic, data from Stats NZ shows. Almost half of those trips were to Australia (1.2 million), ahead of Fiji (212,000) and China including Hong Kong (173,000). With 169,000 trips, the US was next on the list of destinations despite a growing list of stories involving arbitrary detention or searches following tougher border control under President Donald Trump's administration. Last week, the New Zealand government updated its advice to Kiwi travellers, including a warning of these practices. Unlike Australian advice, which places the US on the baseline level of "exercise normal safety precautions", New Zealand has the US on a slightly elevated level of "exercise increased caution". Perhaps with an eye to that advice, the number of Kiwis heading to the US has remained flat in the last year, compared to increased visitation of other countries. Travel to Asia up 21 per cent with the boom led by a jump in people visiting Indonesia (up 57 per cent). At the same time as Kiwis up their travel, fewer migrants are arriving. Similar to Australia, New Zealand welcomed an unprecedented surge in migrants in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, but net migration has dropped to its lowest levels since 2022. "The net migration gain of 26,400 in the March 2025 year was well down from a gain of 100,400 in the March 2024 year," Stats NZ spokesperson Sarah Drake said. There were 150,000 migrant arrivals in the last 12 months, and 123,000 heading for the exit door - a provisional record.
BusinessToday
14-05-2025
- Business
- BusinessToday
New Zealand Records Sharp Drop In Migration To Below 30,000
New Zealand recorded a net migration gain of 26,400 in the year to March 2025, a sharp drop from 100,400 the previous year, according to the statistics department Stats NZ on Wednesday. 'The fall in net migration in the March 2025 year was mainly due to fewer migrant arrivals, although departures also rose to a provisional annual record,' said Stats NZ spokesperson Sarah Drake. There were 149,600 migrant arrivals and 123,300 departures during the period, down from 207,100 arrivals and 106,700 departures in the year to March 2024, Stats NZ said, adding migration is a key contributor to population change in New Zealand, with movements influenced by economic conditions and immigration policies at home and abroad. The net migration gain of non-New Zealand citizens fell to 71,200, down from 145,600 the year prior, although it remains above the pre-pandemic average of around 60,000, it said, adding the decline was mainly due to fewer arrivals, particularly among Indian and Filipino nationals, despite both groups still showing net gains. Non-citizen arrivals dropped to 124,400, from 185,000, while their departures rose to 53,200, up from 39,300, statistics show. New Zealand citizens continued to leave the country in large numbers, with a net migration loss of 44,900, virtually unchanged from the previous year, Stats NZ said, adding that of the 70,000 citizen departures, nearly 60 percent headed to Australia. Related
West Australian
14-05-2025
- West Australian
Kiwis return to skies as US travel warning added
Kiwis are rediscovering their wings and returning to international travel, though their government government is cool on citizens visiting the United States. New Zealanders took three million short-term overseas trips in the year to March 2025, hitting that benchmark for the first time since the pandemic, data from Stats NZ shows. Almost half of those trips were to Australia (1.2 million), ahead of Fiji (212,000) and China including Hong Kong (173,000). With 169,000 trips, the US was next on the list of destinations despite a growing list of stories involving arbitrary detention or searches following tougher border control under President Donald Trump's administration. Last week, the New Zealand government updated its advice to Kiwi travellers, including a warning of these practices. Unlike Australian advice, which places the US on the baseline level of "exercise normal safety precautions", New Zealand has the US on a slightly elevated level of "exercise increased caution". Perhaps with an eye to that advice, the number of Kiwis heading to the US has remained flat in the last year, compared to increased visitation of other countries. Travel to Asia up 21 per cent with the boom led by a jump in people visiting Indonesia (up 57 per cent). At the same time as Kiwis up their travel, fewer migrants are arriving. Similar to Australia, New Zealand welcomed an unprecedented surge in migrants in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, but net migration has dropped to its lowest levels since 2022. "The net migration gain of 26,400 in the March 2025 year was well down from a gain of 100,400 in the March 2024 year," Stats NZ spokesperson Sarah Drake said. There were 150,000 migrant arrivals in the last 12 months, and 123,000 heading for the exit door - a provisional record.
