2.353 million visitor

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Immigration Eased Further In January

New Zealand net immigration gains slowed further in January, according to official data.

Statistics New Zealand reported a seasonally adjusted net gain of 510 people in the month compared with a net gain of 530 in December.

It was the smallest monthly net gain since May 2001, when there was a net loss of 270, the government agency said.

On an actual, unadjusted basis, arrivals exceeded departures by 1,700 compared with a gain of 4,000 a year earlier.

For the year ended January 31 there was a net gain in permanent and long-term migration of 12,800, down 62 percent on the net inflow of 33,000 in the previous year.

Net annual migration gains have been falling since the peak of 42,500 in the year to May 2003, because of tighter immigration rules, fewer foreign students studying in New Zealand, and more New Zealanders moving overseas.

The net gain in permanent and long-term arrivals has fallen in each of the past 18 months, the agency said.

The number of short-term visitors to New Zealand rose 2 percent to 249,900 in January on the same month a year earlier, the government agency said.

Seasonally adjusted visitor arrivals for the month were down 3 percent from December, which had risen 3 percent on the previous month.

There were a total of 2.353 million visitor arrivals for the year ended January, up 10 percent on the previous year.

The average length of stay was 24 days against 22 days in December, but unchanged from the same month a year ago.