Drastic drop in immigration
23 September 2005The number of new immigrants or New Zealanders returning home in the year ended August fell 66 per cent compared to the previous year, Statistics New Zealand said today.
For the year ended August there were 78,900 permanent long term (PLT) arrivals, down 3600 or 4 per cent on the previous August year.
PLT departures rose 9100 or 14 per cent to 72,300.
This led to a net migration gain of 6600 in the August year, 66 per cent lower than the 19,300 people in the previous August year.
Permanent and long-term (PLT) arrivals include people who arrive in New Zealand intending to stay for at least 12 months.
PLT departures include New Zealanders departing for a period of at least 12 months as well as long term departures by permanent residents and foreign visitors who have been in the country for more than a year.
For the August year foreign arrivals were down 2300 and departures by foreign PLT’s were up 2200.
There were 1300 fewer New Zealand citizens arriving back permanently compared to the year-earlier and 6900 more New Zealand citizens leaving on a long term basis.
For the month of August there were 600 more PLT arrivals than departures in August, compared with 900 more arrivals than departures the same time last year.
Australia remains the destination of choice for New Zealanders leaving home on a long term basis. There was a net outflow to Australia in August, with 1600 more New Zealanders moving across the Tasman than returning home.
By contrast there was a net inflow from Britain for the month, of 900 more long term arrivals than people leaving.
ned kelly
So here’s the thing, there are always a squizillion people wanting to emigrate to NZ from all over the world. The government in their infinite wisdom, turn the tap ‘on’ or ‘off’ as they think best. At the moment, as you know, the economy is kicking serious butt, the property thing is just going nuts, and the government are I guess concerned about the NZD going too high, which means our exports are too expensive. And this affects inflation, interest rates (another thing the government rises and falls at will, to try and control the wild beast AKA the economy, and so on and so forth.
So, they try and slow things by reducing the number of people they let in to NZ, because if they let too many people in, that would further stimulate things. So it is plus or minus several thousand, as to how many they let in per year.
NZ is hotter than ever in the world’s ‘estimation’ so if there are less numbers coming in, it’s just part of a deliberate economic strategy!
I don’t think that many people know this.
I never used to realise that the whole economy is all linked which includes investing, but it so is.
Hi minimogul
Agreed with your sentiment. It is all intertwined and understanding the macro economic drivers was a question I possed on this site six months ago and got no replies. They are fundamenatl for being at least an informed investor and I believe that mny of the gurus are deliberately underplaying two key areas as they try and get people involved in property:
1. Education: Whih takes time.
2. Secondary income.The issue with immigration is as you say however it is driven by the productivity of the country. NZ’s productivity is what our issue is and it is that which will curb immigrant and increase migration until we can find a solution.
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