Statistics

We gather statistics on how many people leave New Zealand, and on those who come, the reason for their visits, and if they come as residents and how well they settle in New Zealand.

Getting immigration statistics

You can get our statistics by:

  • downloading files linked below
  • using the Migration Data Explorer.

Migration Data Explorer

The Migration Data Explorer is a tool that lets you drill into immigration data, and also protects individual privacy.

We meet our legal obligation to protect personal information by randomly rounding totals in the tool base three. This is best practice from StatsNZ. It does mean figures can be different to our previously published data.

The Migration Data Explorer replaced the annual Migration Trends report, which is no longer published.

Migration Data Explorer | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Statistics files for download

You can download detailed statistics as CSV files using the Migration Data Explorer.

Note

The majority of applications recorded as declined were declined because they did not meet the requirements of the visa.

The figures for declined applications also include applications recorded as declined for administrative reasons, including where an applicant has withdrawn their visa application, where Immigration New Zealand has replaced the application with a new one or where a data entry error by Immigration New Zealand resulted in application record being created by mistake.

About 3,200 applications for parent and grandparent visitor visas were assessed under general visitor criteria in the 2022/23 financial year after issues with processing the original applications. These applications are recorded as declined under the parent and grandparent visa but were processed as general visitor visas. Only about 70 applications for parent and grandparent visitor visas have been declined between 1 July 2022 and 31 January 2023 because they did not meet the requirements of the visa.

Arrivals

Arrivals by month PDF 245KB

Ballot system

Applicants decided by ballot PDF 273KB

Border Exceptions

Border exception EOIs, visas and arrivals (February 2022) PDF 243KB

Border exception EOIs, visas and arrivals (March 2022) PDF 249KB

Border exception EOIs, visas and arrivals (April 2022) PDF 253KB

Border exception EOIs, visas and arrivals (May 2022) PDF 309KB

Border exception EOIs, visas and arrivals (June 2022) PDF 310KB

Border exception EOIs, visas and arrivals (July 2022) PDF 312KB

Departures

All departures by month PDF 214KB

Limited purpose

Limited purpose applications decided by financial year PDF 800KB

Recognised Seasonal Employer workers

Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme arrivals PDF 280KB

Refugees

Refugee and protection statistics PDF 417KB

  • Refugee and protection claims
  • Refugee quota and settlement
  • Refugee family support category

Residence

Resident decisions by financial year PDF 2MB

Occupation and region for SMC/General Skills principal applicants PDF 1MB

Resident applications accepted by financial year PDF 563KB

Resident applications on hand by month PDF 1MB

Returning residents

Returning resident visas PDF 904KB

Students

Student applications decided PDF 1MB

First-time students PDF 349KB

Visitors

Visitor applications decided PDF 2MB

Work

Work applications decided PDF 2MB

Work applications approved by occupation PDF 2MB