International Migration Outlook - New Zealand 2007/08
3. Stock of Foreign-Born Population
The numbers of permanent and temporary arrivals and departures, residence approvals and net migration for the year ending June 2008 has been discussed in detail above. This section looks in more detail at the changing profile of the New Zealand population over time.
Statistics New Zealand estimated the total resident population of New Zealand as 4,268,600 at 30 June 2008. This was an increase of 40,300 (1 percent) from an estimated resident population base of 4,228,300 at 30 June 2007.[18] This population growth was mainly due to a natural increase (excess of births over deaths) of 35,600.[19] Permanent and long-term arrivals exceeded departures by 4,700 in the latest year, compared with a net migration gain of 10,100 in the year to June 2007.[20]
The number and proportion of people who were born overseas and who now live in New Zealand has continued to increase. In 2006, 23 percent of people usually living in New Zealand (or 879,543 people) were born overseas, compared with 20 percent in 2001 and 18 percent in 1996.[21]
Statistics New Zealand provides information on regions where migrants are born. As shown in Table 13, there have been changes in the regions from where overseas-born people come.[22] For example, the percentage of people born overseas that were born in the United Kingdom and Ireland (New Zealand's most significant source of migrants historically) has decreased over ten years (from 38 percent in 1996, to 32 percent in 2001, and to 29 percent in 2006). In contrast, the percentage of overseas-born people who were born in Asia increased from 19 percent in 1996, to 29 percent in 2006, equalling the percentage born in the UK and Ireland.
Table 13: Usually resident population by birthplace for overseas born in 1996, 2001 and 2006 (NZ Censuses)
| 1996 | 2001 | 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birthplace | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % |
| Overseas | % of overseas born | % of overseas born | % of overseas born | |||
| Total Overseas | 605,061 | 100% | 698,628 | 100% | 879,543 | 100% |
| Australia | 54,711 | 9% | 56,259 | 8% | 62,742 | 7% |
| Pacific Islands | 99,261 | 16% | 117,987 | 17% | 135,852 | 15% |
| United Kingdom and Ireland | 230,049 | 38% | 225,120 | 32% | 251,688 | 29% |
| Europe (excl UK and Ireland) | 55,599 | 9% | 59,550 | 9% | 68,070 | 8% |
| North America | 19,230 | 3% | 21,279 | 3% | 26,940 | 3% |
| Asia | 117,918 | 19% | 165,777 | 24% | 251,133 | 29% |
| Other Countries | 28,293 | 5% | 52,659 | 8% | 83,124 | 9% |
Source: Statistics New Zealand
More specifically, source countries of people born overseas have also changed. In 2006, England remained the most common overseas birthplace, but China moved from the fourth most common birthplace in 2001, to the second most common (after England) in 2006, with the number of people born there more than doubling during this period. Australia and Samoa have dropped one place each, to third and fourth respectively, in 2006.
The number of people born in India, and living in New Zealand at the 2006 census, more than doubled between 2001 and 2006. The number of people born in the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Fiji also increased significantly.[23]
3.1. Characteristics of overseas-born people
There were more new migrants in New Zealand at the time of the 2006 Census than at the time of the 2001 Census. In 2006, almost one-third (32 percent) of people born overseas had been living in New Zealand for four years or less, compared with 27 percent in 2001.
In 2006, one-third of those born overseas (33 percent) had been living in New Zealand for 20 years or more.
The median age[24] of people arriving to live in New Zealand differed, depending on the area they were from. In 2006, the median age of people born in both Asia[25] and the Pacific Islands, who had been living in New Zealand for four years or less, was 26.2 years. Those from the United Kingdom and Ireland tended to be older, with a median age of 32.4 years. (This compares with a national median age of 35.4 years for all males and 37.2 years for all females at 30 June 2008.)[26] The overall median age has increased by 2.6 years for males and 2.9 years for females between the 1998 and 2008 June years.[27]
On average, overseas born women have lower fertility than New Zealand born women (see table 14).
| New Zealand born | Overseas born | Not Elsewhereincluded (2) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 1.84 | 1.69 | 2.46 |
| Age Standardised | 1.85 | 1.67 | 2.01 |
| 15-19 Years | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| 20-24 Years | 0.34 | 0.15 | 0.43 |
| 25-29 Years | 0.87 | 0.56 | 1.10 |
| 30-34 Years | 1.42 | 1.19 | 1.65 |
| 35-39 Years | 1.92 | 1.75 | 2.12 |
| 40-44 Years | 2.16 | 2.01 | 2.36 |
| 45-49 Years | 2.29 | 2.13 | 2.54 |
| 50-54 Years | 2.36 | 2.25 | 2.54 |
| 55-59 Years | 2.46 | 2.34 | 2.63 |
| 60-64 Years | 2.69 | 2.53 | 2.95 |
| 65 Years and Over | 3.00 | 2.73 | 3.12 |
(1) Does not include those objected to answer the live birth questions.
(2) Includes Unidentifiable, Outside Scope and Not Stated.
(3) Age standardised rate = Σ(ri Pi)/ΣPi
Source: Statistics New Zealand
Footnotes
[18] Figures are based upon the 2006 Census of Population and Dwellings.
[22] Table 6 from QuickStats about Culture and Identity
[23] Table 7 from QuickStats about Culture and Identity
[24] Median age is the age whereby half of the population are younger, and half are older.
[25] Reflecting the large proportion of international students
[27] Table 2 ‘Estimated resident population by broad age groups’