Who moves to New Zealand
1.4M people have chosen New Zealand for relocation — #47 most popular destination worldwide
Considering a move to New Zealand? — See where people come from, regional patterns, and how it's changed since 1990.
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 40% of all immigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 254524 |
| India | 149677 |
| China | 145906 |
| Philippines | 107622 |
| South Africa | 101970 |
| Australia | 89129 |
| Fiji | 70552 |
| Samoa | 63075 |
| United States | 32863 |
| South Korea | 31878 |
| Tonga | 29981 |
| Malaysia | 23224 |
| Sri Lanka | 20823 |
| Netherlands | 16997 |
| Germany | 16172 |
| Hong Kong | 13920 |
| Canada | 13149 |
| Vietnam | 12670 |
| Japan | 12621 |
| Thailand | 12405 |
| Cook Islands | 12403 |
| Brazil | 11421 |
| Taiwan | 11147 |
| Zimbabwe | 9140 |
| Ireland | 8989 |
| Russia | 8732 |
| Cambodia | 8231 |
| Indonesia | 7817 |
| Singapore | 7784 |
| France | 7445 |
| Pakistan | 6954 |
| Nepal | 6832 |
| Afghanistan | 6706 |
| Chile | 6116 |
| Argentina | 5878 |
| Iran | 5632 |
| Iraq | 5423 |
| Colombia | 4324 |
| Niue | 3957 |
| Myanmar | 3834 |
| Bangladesh | 3499 |
| Switzerland | 3291 |
| Italy | 3256 |
| Kiribati | 3015 |
| United Arab Emirates | 2976 |
| Ukraine | 2597 |
| Czechia | 2569 |
| Poland | 2511 |
By region of origin
Asia is the leading region of origin at 43%
599.2K
327.1K
272.1K
111.1K
46K
27.7K
8.4K
Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in New Zealand.
A significant share of the population of Samoa has settled here
More than 1 in 3 people from Samoa now live in New Zealand — 63.1K people, representing 28.93% of the population of Samoa.
Philippines is the fastest-growing major source
Immigration from the Philippines has increased by 107% since 2015, rising from 52K to 107.6K in 9 years.
New Zealand is a primary destination for emigrants from Samoa
New Zealand attracts 53% of all emigrants from Samoa, making it the leading destination for those leaving the country.
Immigration is a key driver of population growth
45% of the population growth of New Zealand since 1990 came from new immigrants, reflecting immigration's central demographic role.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 515526 |
| 1995 | 562189 |
| 2000 | 644222 |
| 2005 | 815245 |
| 2010 | 911640 |
| 2015 | 1078979 |
| 2020 | 1279199 |
| 2024 | 1391637 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | United Kingdom | India | China | Philippines | South Africa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 223164 | 9270 | 11250 | 3748 | 7375 |
| 1995 | 218465 | 12386 | 18535 | 6618 | 10863 |
| 2000 | 217509 | 19797 | 36325 | 9714 | 24072 |
| 2005 | 240043 | 40298 | 82113 | 14587 | 39560 |
| 2010 | 250852 | 58441 | 89033 | 29232 | 49660 |
| 2015 | 257164 | 91412 | 115315 | 51952 | 62541 |
| 2020 | 257626 | 129231 | 144287 | 82331 | 82625 |
| 2024 | 254524 | 149677 | 145906 | 107622 | 101970 |
Fastest-changing origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
New Zealand as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in New Zealand