Net migration into New Zealand is running at record highs, with both the government and opposition eager to slow the flow of new arrivals.
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Almost a quarter of a million people moved to New Zealand in the last year, equivalent to almost five per cent of the population.
On Tuesday, Stats NZ published estimated migration levels for the 12 months to October 2023, which showed 245,600 migrant arrivals.
Offset by the 116,700 departures, the net migration level is at 128,900 people: an all-time record.
The migration boom is being fuelled by non-New Zealand citizens.
Led by a net arrival of people from India (44,000), the Philippines (34,000) and China (20,000), a total of 219,200 non-citizens arrived in the last year, compared with 45,800 who left.
Australians are a tiny part of New Zealand's current migration story, with 2000 net arrivals in the year to 2023.
In contrast, there is a negative flow of New Zealand citizens, with 71,000 leaving last year and 26,500 returning, for a negative net migration of 44,500.
That is also a record, just outstripping the previous low of 44,400 people in the year to February 2012.
Like many countries which pursued an elimination or suppression strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand closed its borders for long stretches to minimise health impacts.
The New Zealand border was largely closed from March 2020 for two years, with brief re-openings to Australia known as the trans-Tasman bubble.
That produced an 18-month run of net negative migration.
From March 2022, the border was re-opened in phases, with the Labour-led government opening its arms to new migrants to help ease skills shortages.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon criticised the previous government's migration moves, saying the door was closed "when employers were looking for workers" before "Labour opened the floodgates just as the economy was starting to slow".
"That was necessary in order to fulfil those job shortages but then it was really complete and utter open floodgates," he told Radio NZ.
Mr Luxon said current levels were "not sustainable" and found support from opposition spokesman Phil Twyford.
"It probably is about time for striking a better balance. The indications from the data are that those skill shortages have largely been resolved," he told Radio NZ.
Mr Twyford accused Mr Luxon of "singing from a very different song sheet" after campaigning for more immigration during the election campaign.
Australian Associated Press
