External Migration December 2004 year
Commentary ...
- Total movements by class
Visitor arrivals increased by 241,000 (11 percent) in the December 2004 year, to reach 2.348 million. Short-term departures by New Zealand residents numbered 1.733 million in 2004, an increase of 359,000 (26 percent) over 2003.
In 2004, permanent and long-term (PLT) arrivals decreased by 12,200, to reach 80,500, while PLT departures increased by 7,600, to reach 65,400, when compared with 2003.
- Overseas visitor arrivals
Visitors by source
In the December 2004 year, Oceania continued to be the most important source region for overseas visitor arrivals, followed by Asia, Europe and the Americas. Two-fifths of all visitors were from Oceania (957,100), with 89 percent stating Australia as their country of last permanent residence. Asia contributed a further 23 percent (529,500), Europe contributed 21 percent (481,200) and the Americas contributed 12 percent (276,200). Between 2000 and 2004, there were increases in visitors from Oceania (up 44 percent), Europe (up 32 percent), Asia (up 22 percent) and the Americas (up 13 percent).
In 2003, there was a drop in visitor numbers from Asia as a result of the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus, which affected many countries in this region. Visitor numbers fell by 10 percent compared with 2002, to 489,600. Although there was a substantial recovery in visitor numbers from Asia in 2004, arrivals were still 3 percent lower than the 2002 level.
In 2004, the top nine source countries for visitor arrivals, and their rankings, were unchanged from 2003. The one change to the 2003 rankings was the Netherlands, which was replaced at number 10 by Taiwan. Visitor numbers from all top 10 countries were up on 2003, with increases ranging from 28 percent for China to 1 percent for Singapore.
Australia remained the largest contributor in 2004, with 855,900 or 37 percent of all visitors. This was up 153,800 (22 percent) on 2003, with the growth being driven by the entry of new airlines flying the Tasman, and the introduction of new services and lower fares. The United Kingdom (283,700) was the second largest source country, ahead of the United States (218,300), Japan (165,000), Korea (113,900) and China (84,400). These six countries, together with Germany (55,700), Canada (40,600), Singapore (32,900) and Taiwan (26,700), contributed 80 percent (1.877 million) of all visitors in 2004. In 2000, these 10 countries contributed 77 percent of all visitors.
Visitors by reason for travel
Just over half of all visitors to New Zealand in the December 2004 year came for a holiday (1,190,400). This was up 106,800 or 10 percent on the previous year. A further 660,000 came to visit friends and relatives (VFR) (up 87,500 or 15 percent), 248,800 came on business (up 31,300 or 14 percent), 53,700 came for a conference (up 9,400 or 21 percent) and 49,200 came for education/medical reasons (up 800 or 2 percent).
The share of visitors coming for a holiday has dropped slightly over the last five years, from 52 percent in 2000 to 51 percent in 2004. In contrast, the proportion of VFR arrivals grew slightly, from 27 percent in 2000 to 28 percent in 2004. The proportion of visitors coming for business was 11 percent in both 2000 and 2004, while a further 2 percent came for education/medical reasons in both 2000 and 2004.
Visitors by length of stay
The average intended length of stay in New Zealand in 2004 was 20 days, the same as in 2000. This compares with 22 days in 2003. About 53 percent of all visitors stayed for 10 days or less, with the majority of these staying for less than one week. A further 23 percent stayed between 11 and 20 days, 11 percent stayed between 21 and 30 days, and the remaining 13 percent stayed for more than 30 days. On a monthly basis, the average length of stay in 2004 varied by eight days, with visitors arriving in January staying for the longest time (24 days), and visitors arriving in August staying the shortest time (16 days).
In 2004, visitors coming mainly for education/medical reasons had the longest average intended length of stay at 85 days, 15 days shorter than in 2003. Sixty-six percent of these visitors were younger than 25 years. Conference visitors (nine days) and business visitors (11 days) stayed for the shortest time. The length of stay for both holiday and VFR visitors dropped during the early 1990s. However, since the mid-1990s, the average length of stay for holiday visitors has increased steadily, reaching an average of 18 days in 2002 and 2003, before decreasing to 17 days in 2004. The average length of stay for those visiting friends and relatives fell by one day between 1997 and 1998, to 25 days. It remained at that level until 2001, and then rose to 26 days in 2002, before falling to 25 days in 2003, and to 23 days in 2004.
Of the top 10 source countries, visitors from Germany (39 days) tended to stay the longest in 2004, while visitors from the United Kingdom (31 days) and Canada (28 days) also stayed significantly longer than the average for all visitors (20 days). The shortest average length of stay was for visitors from Australia (12 days), followed closely by Singapore (13 days). Between 2000 and 2002, the average length of stay for visitors from China increased from 32 days to 42 days, before halving to 21 days in 2004.
- New Zealand resident departures
Resident departures by main destination
In the December 2004 year, Oceania was the main destination for New Zealand travellers, followed by Asia, Europe and the Americas. Sixty-two percent of New Zealand resident departures went to countries in Oceania (1,075,100), with 82 percent of these stating Australia as their main destination. A further 12 percent stated their destination as Asia (210,500), 8 percent stated Europe (136,300) and 6 percent stated the Americas (103,000). All the major regions recorded increases in 2004 compared with 2003. Over the past five years, there were increases in departures to Oceania (up 34 percent), Asia (up 28 percent), Europe (up 21 percent) and the Americas (up 4 percent).
Australia remained the most popular main destination country for New Zealand residents departing short-term, accounting for 880,300 (51 percent) of all departures in 2004. Since 2000, departures to Australia have increased by 195,400 (29 percent), with the largest annual increase (169,800) occurring between 2003 and 2004. The next three most popular destinations in 2004 were Fiji (98,800), the United States (80,400) and the United Kingdom (78,100). Fiji accounted for close to 6 percent of New Zealand travellers in 2004, compared with 5 percent for both the United States and the United Kingdom. Fiji maintained its 2003 position as a more popular destination than the United States. Between 2000 and 2004, departures to Fiji increased by 52,300 (113 percent), while departures to the United States increased by 1,700 (2 percent).
In 2004, departures to China increased by 38 percent to 45,700. This was three times the 2000 level (15,100), and represents an average annual rate of increase of 32 percent. Seventy-two percent of those visiting China in 2004 were born there, compared with 78 percent in 2003. Fewer than 35,000 people departed to each of the next five largest destinations – the Cook Islands (32,500), Thailand (22,300), Samoa (20,400), Japan (18,600), and Hong Kong (18,500). The top 10 destinations for New Zealand travellers in 2004 were the same as in 2003. However, Thailand went from the eighth most popular destination to seventh, swapping places with Samoa. Residents departing to the top 10 destinations totalled 1.296 million in 2004, or three-quarters of all resident departures.
Resident departures by reason for travel
More than two-fifths of New Zealand residents departing for a short trip overseas in the December 2004 year went on holiday (756,200), an increase of 27 percent compared with 2003. A further 509,700 left to visit friends and relatives (VFR), 252,400 went on business, 57,200 attended a conference, and 25,600 left for education/medical reasons.
Over the past five years, the proportion of New Zealand residents departing for a holiday fell slightly, then gradually rose, from 43 percent of departures in 2000 to 44 percent in 2004. The proportion of VFR departures remained unchanged, at 29 percent in both 2000 and 2004. In 2000, business departures accounted for 20 percent of all departures, but this fell to 15 percent in 2004. The number of business travellers dropped by 45,400 between 2000 and 2003, before recovering to 252,400 in 2004. This was still 3 percent below the number of business travellers in 2000. Over the same period, holidaymakers and VFR travellers each increased by over one-third.
In 2004, a holiday was the most popular reason given by New Zealanders travelling to Oceania and the Americas, with 49 percent of departures to Oceania and 38 percent of departures to the Americas stating this reason. Of the departures to Europe, 43 percent went to visit friends and relatives, 33 percent went for a holiday and 13 percent went on business. Departures to Asia consisted of 34 percent going for a holiday, 36 percent VFR and 17 percent travelling on business. Over the past five years, departures of business travellers to Oceania and the Americas have dropped, with the most significant fall being to the Americas (down 23 percent in 2004 compared with 2000). Departures of holidaymakers and VFR travellers rose for all major regions.
Resident departures by length of absence
On average, New Zealand residents leaving the country for a short trip in 2004 were away for 20 days, one day less than in 2000 and 2003. In 2004, 52 percent of them stayed away for 10 days or less, with 50 percent of those staying away for less than one week. A further 23 percent were absent for 11 to 20 days, 10 percent for 21 to 30 days, and the remaining 15 percent for more than 30 days. Average length of absence in 2004 varied on a monthly basis by 11 days, with those departing in November staying away for the longest time (26 days), and those departing in October staying away for the shortest time (15 days).
In 2004, of the main reasons for travelling, residents departing for education/medical purposes had the longest average length of absence (42 days), followed by residents departing to visit friends and relatives (26 days). In contrast, those going for a holiday (17 days) or on business (14 days) were away for less than the average for all resident departures (20 days). The average length of absence for both holiday and VFR departures has fallen by two days since 2000, but has increased by two days for travellers departing for education/medical reasons.
Longer lengths of absence in 2004 were associated with visits to China (50 days) and its special administrative region of Hong Kong (33 days), and three major long-haul destinations, the United Kingdom (44 days), Japan (30 days) and the United States (29 days). The shortest average lengths of stay were for trips to the nearest neighbours – Fiji (11 days), Australia (12 days) and the Cook Islands (13 days). Over the past five years, the average length of stay has dropped for departures to the United Kingdom (down six days), Samoa (down three days) and Australia (down two days), but increased for trips to Japan (up three days), and Thailand (up two days).
- Permanent and long-term migration
Permanent and long-term migration by citizenship
Over the past 10 years, December–year net PLT migration dropped between 1996 and 2000, then rose in 2001 and 2002, before falling again in 2003 and 2004. There were net gains between 1995 and 1997 (total net gain of 60,900), net losses between 1998 and 2000 (total net loss of 26,600), and a net gain of 97,900 between 2001 and 2004, resulting in a net gain of 132,200 migrants in the past decade. Analysis of the permanent and long-term arrivals and departures by citizenship shows that, of the four flows involved, two had the most impact on the changes in net migration totals. These were departures of New Zealand citizens and arrivals of non-New Zealand citizens. Arrivals of New Zealand citizens and departures of non-New Zealand citizens have not varied as significantly over the past 10 years.
New Zealand citizen departures (which include overseas-born New Zealanders) increased significantly between 1995 (37,400) and 2000 (58,700), before dropping over the next three years to 38,900 in 2003, then increasing again in 2004. Departures in 2004 (43,200) were 26 percent lower than in 2000. Combined with the smaller, and generally more stable, arrivals of New Zealand citizens, these changes resulted in a steady and continual increase in the net outflow of New Zealand citizens between 1995 and 2000 (from 14,100 to 37,900). Increases in New Zealand citizen arrivals contributed to the smaller net outflows between 2001 and 2003. The net outflow in 2004 (18,100), was 52 percent lower than in the December 2000 year.
In the case of non-New Zealand citizen arrivals, which are directly influenced by changes in government immigration policies, numbers increased from 54,200 in 1995 to 56,200 in 1996. They dropped in 1997 and 1998, and then increased again over the next four years to 70,500 in 2002, before dropping to 55,400 in 2004. Some fluctuations resulted from changes in the numbers of overseas-born students coming to study in New Zealand. Between 1995 and 1997, non-New Zealand citizen departures increased from 11,700 to 15,700, and then remained at a similar level for the next five years, before increasing to 22,200 in 2004. As a result, the net inflow of non-New Zealand citizens increased slightly between 1995 and 1996 (from 42,500 to 42,700), dipped to 20,700 in 1998, and then more than doubled between 2000 (26,600) and 2002 (54,900), before falling to 33,200 in 2004.
In the December 2004 year, there were 12,200 fewer PLT arrivals than in the previous year. The main reason for this decrease was the drop in non-New Zealand citizen arrivals, 9,600 fewer than in 2003.
Permanent and long-term migration by occupation
During 2000–2004, 48 percent of immigrants and 40 percent of emigrants were not in the workforce (eg family members and students). In addition, 9 percent of immigrants and 6 percent of emigrants did not specify a valid occupation. A further 11 percent of immigrants and 12 percent of emigrants stated an occupation (eg designer) which was not detailed enough to be coded to a specific occupation classification. This tends to limit the potential value of occupation-based analysis.
In the December 2004 year, there was a net inflow of 4,000 migrants who stated an occupation, compared with 10,000 in 2003. Professionals recorded the largest net inflow, 1,800 in 2004, compared with 2,400 in 2003. There were also net inflows of clerks (400), trades workers (400), managers (300) and technicians (100). The remaining major occupational groups experienced net losses, including service and sales workers (300), plant and machinery operators (300), elementary occupations (200) and agriculture workers (100).
During the five years ended December 2004, there was a net inflow of 4,400 from all occupations (the first five-yearly net inflow since 1999). There were net gains from professionals (3,500) and clerks (1,800), but all other major occupation categories experienced net losses, including service and sales workers (3,700), plant and machine operators (2,000), elementary occupations (1,400) and technicians (1,300). Within the professionals category there were net inflows of health professionals (900), tertiary teachers (800), business and legal professionals (600), computing professionals (600), architects and engineers (500) and nurses (400). Over the same period, there was a net inflow of 66,700 migrants who were not in the workforce, and a net inflow of 15,500 migrants who did not specify an occupation.
- Tourism and Migration 2003
Tourism and Migration 2003, the annual update of a number of the tables contained in the Tourism and Migration 2000 reference report, was released in June 2004. The update contains statistics on a December year basis up to 2003 on a range of topics, but does not include commentary or analysis. Updated tables include overseas visitors, overseas trips by New Zealanders, tourist expenditure, permanent and long-term migration, and immigration permits. The Tourism and Migration 2003 report is on the Statistics New Zealand website. - External migration feature articles
Articles published in 2004:
| June | Tourism and Migration 2003 |
| June | New migration processing system |
| August | Eight million arrivals and departures |
For technical information contact:
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