20 Aug 2010

Migration numbers up in July

12:43 pm on 20 August 2010

New Zealand's monthly migration gains have picked up from a 19-month low.

Official figures show a seasonally-adjusted gain of 970 people in July, compared with 140 in the previous month.

Migration rates had been falling since January as the number of people arriving slowed, and the number moving to Australia rose.

On an annual basis, there's been a net gain of 150,200 migrants, compared with 14,500 in the previous year.

ASB economist Jane Turner says migration data has been volatile for a few months, and she expects migration to remain relatively subdued.

Meanwhile, Statistics New Zealand says 2.5 million visitors travelled to New Zealand in the year to July, up 3.8% on last year.

More visitors from China, Japan, Taiwan, India and Australia offset fewer from Britain and the United States.