NZ migration gains increase in March

New Zealand had a seasonally adjusted gain of 1830 long-term and permanent migrants in March, according to official data released today.

The net migration gain compared with the previous month's upwardly revised gain of 1500.

On an actual, unadjusted basis, arrivals and departures in March balanced each other out at 6000 each, resulting in a zero balance compared with a net loss of 1400 a year earlier, the government agency said.

For the year ended March 31, there was a net gain in permanent and long-term migration of 9740, down 3 per cent on the net inflow of 10,010 people in the previous year ended March.

Net annual migration gains, previously a key driver of the strong domestic economy, have fallen since the peak of 42,500 in the year to May 2003, because of tighter immigration rules, a reduction in the number of foreign students studying in New Zealand, fewer New Zealanders returning home and more moving overseas.

The number of short-term visitors to New Zealand fell 3 per cent to 227,000 in March compared with the same month a year earlier.

Statistics New Zealand said the drop in short-term visitors may be due to the delayed start of the Easter holiday in 2006 compared with 2005 when it began in late March.

Seasonally adjusted visitor arrivals for the month were unchanged on February, when they rose 2 per cent.

There were a total of 2.4 million visitor arrivals for the year through March, virtually unchanged from the previous year.

Average length of stay rose to 18 days from 17 days in 2005.

- REUTERS