Net migration gain rises to 22,600, with more young New Zealanders leaving

New Zealand's net migration gain was 22,600 in the year to September 2026, up 12,700 on the year before, according to RNZ. Net migration is the difference between the number of people arriving in New Zealand and the number leaving.

There were 136,100 migrant arrivals in the year to September 2026, up 7 percent on the previous year. Migrant departures totalled 113,500, down 3 percent.

In the month of September 2026 alone, net migration was a gain of 3,500.

Statistics New Zealand reported a net loss of 37,800 New Zealand citizens in the year to September 2026. The figure counts citizens leaving the country for longer than they returned.

Young citizens made up a large share of that outflow. Citizens aged 15 to 24 accounted for 15,800 migrant departures in the year, up 6 percent on the previous year. That age group had a net migration loss of 11,500, the largest net loss of any age group. The loss was particularly driven by increases for 18- and 19-year-olds.

Stats NZ's information release titled 'International migration: September 2026' is dated 12 November 2026. The agency describes its international migration statistics as the latest outcomes-based measure of migration, including estimates of people entering or leaving New Zealand. The full release sets out the detail behind these figures, according to Stats NZ.