Net migration gain of 14,200 – news story
13 February 2026
New Zealand had a net migration gain of 14,200 in 2025, down from a net gain of 23,800 in 2024, according to provisional estimates released by Stats NZ today.
The net migration gain in 2025 was the lowest for a calendar year since 2013 (excluding 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic).
New Zealand had an average net migration gain of 30,600 a year from 2001 to 2025.
“Annual net migration fell from a record 135,500 in the October 2023 year to a provisional low of 8,600 in the August 2025 year, before increasing in late 2025,” international migration statistics spokesperson Bryan Downes said.
“The fall in net migration in 2025 compared with 2024 was driven by 6 percent fewer migrant arrivals, while migrant departures rose 1 percent to a provisional record for a calendar year.”
