MigrantoNew Zealand Diaspora
679.8K New Zealanders live abroad — 13% of the population of New Zealand
New Zealand diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 96% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Australia | 588088 |
| United Kingdom | 50762 |
| Canada | 10875 |
| China | 3811 |
| Japan | 3785 |
| Singapore | 3378 |
| Cook Islands | 2718 |
| Hong Kong | 2425 |
| Papua New Guinea | 1789 |
| Samoa | 1164 |
| South Africa | 1026 |
| Denmark | 1003 |
| Italy | 959 |
| American Samoa | 727 |
| Norway | 706 |
| Fiji | 631 |
| Malaysia | 592 |
| Greece | 530 |
| Chile | 400 |
| Niue | 342 |
| Vanuatu | 331 |
| Brazil | 320 |
| Finland | 299 |
| Hungary | 290 |
| Argentina | 255 |
| Brunei | 236 |
| Malta | 221 |
| Tokelau | 172 |
| New Caledonia | 122 |
| Iceland | 118 |
| Sri Lanka | 112 |
| Luxembourg | 112 |
| French Polynesia | 111 |
| Tajikistan | 107 |
| Croatia | 102 |
| Cyprus | 97 |
| Panama | 90 |
| Bulgaria | 87 |
| Isle of Man | 86 |
| Bolivia | 78 |
| Solomon Islands | 70 |
| East Timor | 69 |
| Cayman Islands | 69 |
| Slovakia | 68 |
| Kiribati | 59 |
| Portugal | 54 |
| Namibia | 53 |
| Falkland Islands | 37 |
| Slovenia | 32 |
| Estonia | 30 |
| Bhutan | 25 |
| Bahamas | 25 |
| Costa Rica | 24 |
| Eswatini | 23 |
| Maldives | 18 |
| Venezuela | 15 |
| Latvia | 12 |
| Lithuania | 12 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 11 |
| Liechtenstein | 6 |
| Nauru | 3 |
| Guinea | 0 |
| Saint Lucia | 0 |
By region
88% of the diaspora lives in Oceania
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Key facts
The New Zealand diaspora in numbers
Most New Zealanders abroad live in Australia
87% of the diaspora lives in Australia, while the next country accounts for just 7%.
1 in 8 people born in New Zealand lives abroad
679.8K people born in New Zealand now live in other countries — 12.9% of a population of 5.3M.
New Zealand diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 329134 |
| 1995 | 381056 |
| 2000 | 454340 |
| 2005 | 518239 |
| 2010 | 620805 |
| 2015 | 675441 |
| 2020 | 679479 |
| 2024 | 679772 |
Largest communities over time
New Zealanders living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Australia | United Kingdom | Canada | China | Japan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 263301 | 39953 | 7382 | 1787 | 1174 |
| 1995 | 304515 | 47640 | 7925 | 2119 | 1970 |
| 2000 | 366287 | 56738 | 8499 | 2523 | 3132 |
| 2005 | 424120 | 60058 | 9315 | 3003 | 3743 |
| 2010 | 520509 | 62311 | 11496 | 3574 | 3272 |
| 2015 | 575163 | 58621 | 12381 | 3580 | 5518 |
| 2020 | 583769 | 54300 | 10929 | 3452 | 5855 |
| 2024 | 588088 | 50762 | 10875 | 3811 | 3785 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of New Zealanders in each country has changed since the selected year
New Zealanders among immigrants in other countries
Where New Zealanders make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many New Zealanders live outside New Zealand?
Around 679.8K New Zealanders live abroad, the world's #89 largest diaspora.
Where do most New Zealanders abroad live?
Most New Zealanders live in Australia, United Kingdom and Canada — these three countries account for about 96% of all New Zealanders living abroad.
Which country has the largest New Zealand population outside New Zealand?
Australia is home to the largest New Zealand community abroad — 588.1K people, about 87% of all New Zealanders living abroad.
What share of the population of New Zealand lives abroad?
About 13% of the population of New Zealand lives abroad — that's 679.8K out of a total population of 5.3M.
Is the New Zealand diaspora growing?
Barely — over the past decade, the number of New Zealanders living abroad has changed from 675.4K to 679.8K, about 1%.
Where does the data on the New Zealand diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in New Zealand who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
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Living in New Zealand
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