Net migration up, but so is number of young Kiwis leaving

New Zealand had a net migration gain of 22,600 in the year to September, up 12,700 from the previous year.

Statistics New Zealand says the increase was due to more migrant arrivals and fewer migrant departures.

There were 136,100 migrant arrivals in the year to September, up 7 percent.

That compares with 113,500 migrant departures, which were down 3 percent.

For the month of September, New Zealand had a net gain of 3500.

Statistics New Zealand says there was a net loss of 37,800 New Zealand citizens in the September 2026 year.

Of those migrant departures in the year to September, 15,800 were New Zealand citizens aged 15 to 24, up 6 percent on the previous year.

Statistics New Zealand says this contributed to a net loss of 11,500 for this age group, the largest net loss of any age group in the September 2026 year.

It says this was particularly driven by increases for 18- and 19-year-olds.