Record Number of Kiwis leave NZ

[jen]

I thought people might be interested in this item from Radio New Zealand News about how many NZ citizens left the country last year:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest...kiwis_leave_nz


Record numbers of New Zealanders have left the country in the past year, many for Australia.

Statistics New Zealand figures show that in the year to July, 29,500 New Zealand citizens left the country, the highest number in six years.

Overall, just over 82,000 thousand people arrived in New Zealand and about 73,000 left. The net migration gain of 9,000 is below the annual average of the past 10 years.

And 25,500 people left New Zealand for Australia - another record since 2001.

Some economists say that will mean less pressure on consumer spending and the housing market.

But the National Party says the figures are shocking, because it is a huge loss of young, skilled people and shows they are voting with their feet.

Immigrations spokesperson Lockwood Smith says he is frustrated that the Government refuses to acknowledge its policies are driving people away.

Business New Zealand says the number of people leaving the country should be an urgent issue for the Government.

Chief executive Phil O'Reilly, says New Zealand is not productive enough to pay workers what they want. He says there will always be people going away for their OE, but there needs to be opportunities to entice them back.

Short-term migration into New Zealand, by tourists and other visitors, grew about 4%, and is expected to grow as the New Zealand dollar moderates.

[ruthyroo]

Ironic that there is a post on another board here about "Record numbers of people leave the UK"!!

I guess the grass is greener for everyone.

[Tia Maria]

I was thinking the exact same thing!

I think for a lot of people the world has just got smaller and you don't have to live within 1 square mile of where you grew up.

Its always implied that its a negative thing but couldn't it just be that people realise there are lots of opportunities in the world and you don't have to spend your entire life in your country of birth?!

Cheers

Tia

[sarahw]

Interesting Jen,

I agree with Tia - aren't we all on this forum because we want to leave our country of origin? Why should Kiwis be any different from the rest of us in wanting to explore and experience living elsewhere in the world.

I can certainly see the benefits to NZ'ers of moving overseas (higher salaries & experience in much larger organisations they just wouldn't get here and different cultures/languages etc.).

The other thing to add to the equation is that the nearest country (apart from some Pac Is.) is Australia - 4 hours at nearest point - if you want to visit somewhere other than NZ it is a LONG and expensive journey relative to income - which means that Kiwis who want to see the world tend to go for a long time - a year or so on OE or on a job placement etc. rather than a 2 week break like you can from so many other countries.

[marcia]

Perhaps they are getting sick of all the immigrants!!

Seriously, speaking to quite a few people, the youngsters go off on their big OE (wondered what on earth this was when we first arrived and heard people harping on about it - for those not in the know - its an 'overseas experience') They end up liking where they are, especailly with the amounts of money they can earn in places like the uk and Australia compared to the kiwi salaries. Stay for quite a few years building up their savings, but a lot of them still yearn for NZ and do end up coming back to settle down and raise their families here.

So in a way its a temporary drop, however it does leave a big shortage at the younger end of the workforce. Something i think the government may be trying to address with the new rules about youth minimum wages which has been on the news recently.

[immortal167]

with my British partner who moved here five years ago and has gone back. When I announce that I'm leaving people always assume its for the OE or only a year or two, where it is actually for the forseeable future/for ever. Most kiwis move to Australia, but that may have lots to do with the fact that for most of us that is the only option. Unless you are skilled or the partner of someone from another country your emigration options are limited...

[swissmissdesigner]

Immortal167: very honest post! Thank you.
Good luck too you!

Cheers

Anna

[Perksy]

I guess it depends a lot on why people are leaving their countries in the first place. Like Marcia says, for the youngsters it is an overseas experience. I had a friend from Australia who wanted to stay in the UK and I thought she was completely mad.

When I was younger it would have been the adventure and I would prbably have bounced back to the UK as I am sure a loto f the youngsters will bounce back to NZ. Now I am older my OH and I are well established in our careers and having worked so hard want to now couple that with a better outdoors lifestyle away from the crowds and claustrophobia of the UK.

NZ can still get 25 years of skill labour out of us and youngsters returning with a bit of life experience.

[wiki]

My plan when I arrived in the UK for my big OE at 22 was to stay for 2-4 years max and, rather than save, blow all my cash on European travel and then head back to NZ.

Ten years later I'm finallyheading home, with a British partner in tow and very little money in the bank thanks to all my European travel!

The main reason that I lengthened my trip was that after four years my Mum died, and I didn't feel like NZ was "home" any more without her. It's taken six years to change my feelings on that and now I can't wait to be back.

But, if my partner had voted that we stay put in the UK I would have been happy with that too, as I love my job here and I love living in Yorkshire - and we're not ruling out a return to the UK eventually.

Of my four siblings, one has lived in Australia for 14 years and is staying put there, one came back to NZ after 17 years in Oz and the other two have always lived in NZ and have no inclination to do an OE. We're probably pretty representative of national figures!

[Charlesw25]

People come. People go. It's the modern world and has been like this for a long time now. There's always going to be people who want to explore - most of us on this forum for a start.