Annual net migration in the December 2017 year numbered 70,000, Stats NZ said today. Migrant arrivals were 131,600 and migrant departures were 61,600.

Annual net migration in 2017 was down from 70,600 in the December 2016 year, a drop of about 600. Annual net migration reached a record high of 72,400 in the July 2017 year, but has slowed since then.

“Most migrants are non-New Zealand citizens,” population statistics senior manager Peter Dolan said. “While arrivals of non-New Zealand citizen migrants increased to 99,300 in the past 12 months, there was also an increase in those leaving the country after migrating here in the past.”

In comparison, the number of New Zealand citizens leaving this country intending to live long-term overseas and those returning home almost balanced each other out, which had only a small effect on total net migration.

Migration saw a net gain of 71,100 non-New Zealand citizens and a net loss of 1,000 New Zealand citizens in the December 2017 year.

Migrant arrivals were mostly from Australia (20 percent), United Kingdom (12 percent), and China (10 percent). Three in every five migrant arrivals from Australia were returning New Zealand citizens.

Most migrants arrived in New Zealand on work and student visas. Arrivals on work visas rose 11 percent in the year ended December 2017. The largest increases in work visas were from the United Kingdom and the Philippines.

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