Closed borders and other Covid-19 restrictions have resulted in the number of people crossing the border falling to the lowest in 50 years, while the country has had its first migration loss in nine years, according to new data.
File image. Photo: 123rf
Stats NZ said 826,400 people crossed the border last year, with 398,600 arrivals and 427,800 departures, and the numbers might have been lower but for the brief travel bubbles with Australia and the Cook Islands.
"Over three-quarters of trips made in 2021 took place during the months of April to August, while the travel bubbles were in effect," Stats NZ manager Tehseen Islam said.
Before the pandemic 14.2 million crossed the borders.
New Zealand citizens living overseas made up 45 percent of overseas visitor arrivals in 2021, compared with 14 percent in 2019.
And the country last year also had its first migration loss since 2012.
There was a net loss of 3900 last year compared with a 36,800 gain in 2020. New Zealand had had an average migration gain of 50,000 a year between 2013 and 2020.
Islam said the closure of borders had disrupted the previous flow of immigrants, which had outnumbered departures of New Zealanders.
"In the past, net migration losses from New Zealand were driven by New Zealand citizens heading overseas, mainly to Australia," Islam said.
"However, Covid-19 border and travel restrictions have seen reversals of historic patterns, and current net migration losses are driven by non-New Zealand citizens."
The government has allowed a limited number of essential and seasonal workers to enter during the pandemic, and will start a phased re-opening of the border from the end of the month.