Over here or over there? Influences on migration
Kiwis like to travel, to do the 'big OE'. It’s said that it’s all to do with our size and isolation. We may be a popular destination for international visitors, but at any one time, around one in five New Zealanders is living and working overseas.
So why have people left in such big numbers? What’s keeping the rest of us here? We’ve trawled the internet to find some of the reasons:
| Ten reasons for leaving New Zealand | Ten reasons for staying put |
|---|---|
| 1) More opportunities/better pay | 1) Family and friends |
| 2) See other lands and cultures | 2) Where home is |
| 3) Better weather | 3) Fewer people |
| 4) Lower cost of living | 4) More open space |
| 5) Safer roads | 5) Slower pace of life |
| 6) Better education | 6) Māori culture |
| 7) Join family and friends | 7) Landscape and scenery |
| 8) More cultural diversity | 8) Haven from rest of world |
| 9) Better quality houses | 9) Holidays in Australia & Pacific |
| 10) Lack of infrastructure | 10) Lack of money |
New Zealanders overseas
Outside New Zealand, the only places in the world where Kiwis can be found in large numbers are, not surprisingly, Australia and the United Kingdom. Around 1 in every 10 New Zealanders lives in Australia, and 1 in 80 lives in the United Kingdom. That’s a lot of Kiwis who’ve chosen to live overseas. In 2003, 43 per cent of permanent and long-term departures were to Australia, and 21 per cent to the United Kingdom. The next most popular place to migrate to was the United States, attracting 4 per cent of Kiwis going to live overseas1.
It works the other way round too. New Zealand is the top destination for Australians moving overseas, followed by the UK2, while New Zealand is the fifth most popular destination for Brits heading abroad, after Australia, Spain, France and the USA3 in that order.
If you’re a Kiwi thinking of returning home, the New Zealand Now website has information that can help with a smooth transition. You can also connect with other expatriate New Zealanders at keanewzealand.com.
Travel resources
- Our Big OE page
- Our online guide to the best travel and tourism websites
- Embassies and High Commissions — from the Internet Gateway
- Air New Zealand — Air New Zealand’s guide to planning an overseas trip
- ird.govt.nz — advice from Inland Revenue on the tax implications of working overseas
- Safe Travel — advice for New Zealanders from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Ministry of Tourism statistics for inbound tourism
- Migration statistics from Statistics New Zealand
Browse the resources in our libraries
- Kiwi working abroad — advice for New Zealanders planning to work overseas
- Employment in foreign countries — how to find work overseas
- Press Display — newspapers from around the world.
Use at a library or enter your library card & password / PIN. - Job vacancies — New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and other international listings
Sources
- 1: Carl Walrond. 'Kiwis overseas', Te Ara — the Encyclopedia of New Zealand
- 2: NZ Herald, 28 Dec 2006
- 3: Office of National Statistics UK, 20 Jan 2007
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=507&More=N
