Country a magnet for young migrants

Photo / Greg Bowker

New Zealand is found to be a migration hot spot for the young and educated if everyone who wants to move here were allowed to do so, a poll has found.

Gallup's Potential Net Youth Migration index found the number of migrants aged between 15 and 29 years would burgeon from 930,000 to nearly 2.2 million.

The number of educated adults in New Zealand with at least a bachelor's degree would increase three-fold if all migration was allowed.

Massey University marketing researcher Henry Chung said New Zealand's reputation for being a good place to raise a family and quality education could be the reason behind its popularity with younger migrants.

"New Zealand is definitely an attractive destination for quality lifestyle, is safe, and has a good education system," Dr Chung said.

The overall population - estimated at 4,380,700 at September 30 - would increase by 184 per cent to nearly 12.5 million, making it the second most popular migrant destination on the Gallup's Potential Net Migration Index, released in August. The index is calculated by subtracting the number of people who want to move out of a country from those who want to move into it. New Zealand's adult population would grow the most from international migration, behind Singapore but ahead of Canada and Switzerland.

Net migration numbers are down despite a 1.1 per cent increase in population, Statistics NZ said yesterday. "Net migration has decreased by 18 per cent compared with the previous September year," said Bridget Hamilton-Seymour, population statistics manager.

MIGRATION HOT SPOTS

Singapore
* Potential population change: +219 per cent
* Potential change in residents with degree or higher: +317 per cent
* Potential change in people aged 15-29: +537 per cent

New Zealand
* Potential population changeL: +184 per cent
* Potential change in residents with degree or higher: +178 per cent
* Potential change in people aged 15-29: +235 per cent

Canada
* Potential population change: +160 per cent
* Potential change in residents with degree or higher: +144 per cent
* Potential change in people aged 15-29: +301 per cent

(Source: Gallup)