KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's net gain of 750 long-term and permanent migrants last month was the year's largest, but the loss of skilled New Zealanders overseas was a concern, an economist says.
The seasonally adjusted monthly gain compared with 470 people in July, Statistics New Zealand said yesterday.
But the annual gain of 8730 was down from 12,490 for the previous year to August, and was the smallest increase in annual net permanent and long-term migration for the past 12 months as more New Zealanders left to live elsewhere.
Migration gains peaked in the year to May 2003 at 42,500 and were a strong factor in pushing economic growth, including in the strong housing market.
Citigroup economist Annette Beacher said the rapid decline in migration outflow had stalled.
"We await the next few readings to determine if a fresh upswing is under way, or if it turns sour and net outflow becomes evident into 2008."
Net annual migration gains bottomed out in late 2005 at around 6000 because of tightened immigration rules, a fall in the number of foreign students studying in New Zealand, fewer New Zealanders returning home and more moving overseas.
They recovered gradually until they hit 14,757 for year to last November, and have since tailed off.
The number of New Zealanders leaving to live in Australia accelerated to 25,940 in August, the largest annual net outflow since late 2001.
"While 'professionals' are still offsetting the net outflow in other skill sets, even professional migrant inflow is the lowest in five years ... and continues to head south," Beacher said.
"The well-documented 'brain drain' of 2000-2001 was a rush out the door from all skill sets ... could we see a repeat? More policy response in this area is urgently required."
The tourism industry remained resilient, with a 6 per cent rise in short-term visitor arrivals for the month to 164,800 despite the strong New Zealand dollar.
The increase was caused mainly by a 12 per cent rise in the number of visitors from Australia, following a 15 per cent increase in July.
In the year to August, there were 2.473 million visitor arrivals, up 4 per cent from the previous year.
Visitors from Australia, China and Britain contributed most of this increase. However, there were fewer visitors from Japan and the United States.
The aftermath of the coup in Fiji is affecting tourism - trips there were down 10,500, or 10 per cent, in the year to August and falling to below 100,000 for the first time since 2004.
- NZPA
