New Zealand citizens depart in record numbers as economy stalls

WELLINGTON – New Zealand saw a record number of citizens depart in the 12 months to September as a sluggish economy forces more people to look offshore for better paying jobs.

Some 72,684 citizens departed the country in the period, Statistics New Zealand said on Nov 13 in Wellington.

There were 26,318 returning citizens, resulting in a net exodus of 46,366.

Arrivals of foreign workers saw an annual net immigration gain of 12,434, but that was down from a peak of 135,529 in 2023.

New Zealand’s economy failed to grow in the first half of 2025 and economists are wary that the expected second-half recovery has been slow to get under way, with firms reluctant to hire and unemployment rising.

Many citizens have opted to look overseas – particularly to Australia – while foreign workers are also increasingly reluctant to head to New Zealand when work is scarce, resulting in a steady decline in net annual immigration.

The

exodus of citizens

has become a pressure point for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who argues his centre-right government is a better economic manager than the opposition but has yet to convince voters.

His party has trailed in recent polls and an election is due in late 2026.

About 58 per cent of all citizen departures were to Australia, the statistics agency said on Nov 13, citing data for the year ended March that is the most recent available. BLOOMBERG