WELLINGTON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand recorded a net migration loss of 28,500 people to Australia in the year to December 2025, smaller than 31,100 recorded in 2024, Stats NZ reported Tuesday.
The smaller net migration loss in 2025 reflected a slight increase in arrivals from Australia to New Zealand while departures from New Zealand to Australia remained broadly steady, Stats NZ international migration statistics spokesperson Dave O'Donovan said in a statement.
A total of 47,500 people departed New Zealand for Australia in 2025, compared with 47,800 in the previous year, while arrivals from Australia rose to 19,000 from 16,800, according to the statistics department.
Net migration losses to Australia have been a long-standing pattern, averaging about 30,000 annually between 2004 and 2013, and 3,000 between 2014 and 2019. The record annual loss was 43,700 in the March 2012 year, the statement said.
New Zealand citizens accounted for the majority of trans-Tasman flows, making up 86 percent of departures to Australia and 68 percent of arrivals from Australia in 2025, it said.
Despite the loss to Australia, New Zealand recorded a net migration gain of 40,300 from the rest of the world, offsetting the trans-Tasman outflow. However, this was down from a gain of 54,800 in 2024, statistics showed.
Migration trends are influenced by factors including relative economic and labor market conditions, and immigration policies across countries, Stats NZ said. ■
