Kiwis leaving New Zealand in droves - 20,000 to leave this year - Property News AU/NZ | propertynoise.co.nz & propertynoise.com.au

PHOTO: This year could see the highest level of net emigration in a decade (Getty Images).

Kiwibank warns of the highest level of emigration in a decade as New Zealanders face high costs at home and opportunities abroad, Justin Giovannetti writes in The Bulletin.

Heading for the exit as restrictions fall.

There have been few weekends since Christmas where I haven’t spoken with friends preparing to leave New Zealand. What was once a series of anecdotes is now backed by a growing volume of data. Kiwibank is predicting that 20,000 more people will leave New Zealand this year than arrive. Stuff reports that would be the greatest period of emigration since the Australian mining boom of 2011. Aotearoa’s pre-Covid immigration surge has been in reverse for most of the last 12 months, with the Customs Service counting more departures than arrivals at the border. Since December, the trickle of departures has picked up momentum. It isn’t a flood, but it’s disquietingly large.