About 30,000 more people moved to live overseas in the past year than a decade ago and most of the increase was driven by record-high numbers of New Zealanders heading to Australia at a rate of almost 5000 a month.
Statistics New Zealand migration figures showed that 87,500 people left New Zealand to move overseas in the year to July - up from 59,350 in 2002.
Of those, 53,873 moved to Australia - more than double the 26,448 who shifted to Australia in the year to July 2002. In the past year, only 14,024 people came back the other way, resulting in a transtasman migration loss of 39,849, matching the record highs reached in the past few months.
The unprecedented appeal of Australia has prompted fresh recruitment drives as companies try to lure New Zealanders across the Ditch.
A two-day Oz Jobs Expo in Auckland attracted 7000 people in February and clogged the motorway near Greenlane. Mining companies have promised workers $150,000 pay packets and regular trips home.