Loading
​​

    Country profile - New Zealand

    ​

    ​​Population

    At the end of June 2024, 617,960 New Zealand-born people were living in Australia. This is 5.9% more than the number (583,660) at 30 June 2014. This is the fourth largest migrant community in Australia, equivalent to:

    • ​7.2% of Australia's overseas-born population
    • 2.3% of Australia's total population.

    For Australia's New Zealand-born migrants:

    • The median age of 45.8 years was 7.5 years above that of the general population.
    • Males outnumbered females—50.8% compared with 49.2%.

    (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia’s Population by Country of Birth)

    Permanent m​​igration

    Australia's permanent Migration Program comprises economic and family migration and is the main pathway to permanent residence. The only other way to obtain permanent residence is on humanitarian grounds.

    Find out more about permanent migration.​

    This table shows the size of permanent migration from New Zealand by migration category.​

    Table 1: Permanent migrant places granted, 2021–22 to 2024–25

    Migration category

    2021–22

    2022–23

    2023–24

    2024–25

    Business Innovation and Investment 1

    7

    <5

    19

    0

    Employer Sponsored

    248

    515

    191

    94

    Skilled Independent

    3,557

    9,876

    251

    67

    State/Territory Nominated

    90

    104

    70

    26

    Regional

    48

    23

    12

    13

    Global Talent (Independent) 2

    55

    16

    26

    8

    National Innovation 3

    n/a

    n/a

    n/a

    0

    Partner

    266

    212

    29

    5

    All other categories 4

    150

    107

    47

    15

    Total places granted

    4,421

    10,853

    645

    228

    Source: Department of Home Affairs

    1We closed the Business Innovation and Investment Program to new applications on 31 July 2024.
    2We closed the Global Talent visa to new applications on 6 December 2024 We replaced this with the National Innovation visa.
    3The National Innovation visa came into effect on 7 December 2024.
    4 Data has been perturbed to protect the privacy of individuals.

    Note: To protect the privacy of individuals, we have applied various data confidentiality. These include:

    • data masking — using primary and secondary suppression methods for values that we deemed to be a disclosure risk
    • perturbation — a data security technique that allows for random data adjustment to prevent the release of identifiable data.

    Temporary mig​​ration

    People can come to Australia for a temporary stay for a range of purposes that may include tourism, study and short-term work.

    Find out more about ​ temporary migration.

    This table shows the number of visa grants from New Zealand for Visitor, Special Category, Student and Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visas.​

    Table 2: Temporary visas granted by selected categories, 2021–22 to 2024–25

    Temporary visa category

    2021–22

    2022–23

    2023–24

    2024–25

    Visitor

    89

    275

    376

    297

    Special Category 1

    302,226

    1,428,081

    1,786,486

    1,873,536

    Student

    0

    <5

    <5

    <5

    Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment)

    23

    24

    15

    13

    Other temporary visa grants 2

    53

    62

    56

    51

    Total temporary visa grants

    302,391

    1,428,442

    1,786,933

    1,873,897

    Source: Department of Home Affairs

    1Note: Most New Zealand citizens obtain the Special Category visa (subclass 444) to enter Australia for visiting, studying, working or residing permanently.
    2Excludes Transit visa (subclass 771), Border visa (subclass 773) and Maritime Crew visa (subclass 988). Data has been perturbed to protect the privacy of individuals.

    Note: To protect the privacy of individuals, we have applied various data confidentiality techniques. These include:

    • data masking — using primary and secondary suppression methods for values that we deemed to be a disclosure risk
    • perturbation — a data security technique that allows for random data adjustment to prevent the release of identifiable data.

    Main occ​​upations

    This table shows the main occupations for nationals of New Zealand, based on Skill stream migration outcomes and Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa grants.​

    Table 3: Main occupations, 2021–22 to 2024–25

    Period

    Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visas

    No. of migrants

    Skill stream migration

    No. of migrants

    2024–25 

    Other information and organisation professionals

    <5

    Commissioned officers (management)

    7

     

     

    Software and applications programmers

    <5

     

     

    Chefs

    <5

     

     

    Senior non-commissioned defence force members

    <5

     

     

    Defence force members - other ranks

    <5

     

     

    Police

    <5

     

     

    Life scientists

    <5

     

     

    Registered nurses

    <5

     

     

    Metal fitters and machinists

    <5

     

     

    Carpenters and joiners

    <5

    2023–24

    Advertising, public relations and sales managers

    <5

    Registered nurses

    43

    Management and organisation analysts

    <5

    Other medical practitioners

    7

    ICT business and systems analysts

    <5

    Software and applications programmers

    7

    Retail and wool buyers

    <5

    Commissioned officers (management)

    6

     

     

    University lecturers and tutors

    5

     

     

    ICT business and systems analysts

    5

     

     

    Accountants

    <5

     

     

    Physiotherapists

    <5

     

     

    Medical imaging professionals

    <5

     

     

    Computer network professionals

    <5

    2022–23

    Engineering managers

    <5

    Registered nurses

    92

    General managers

    <5

    Software and applications programmers

    24

    Management and organisation analysts

    <5

    Civil engineering professionals

    8

    University lecturers and tutors

    <5

    Computer network professionals

    8

    Registered nurses

    <5

    Management and organisation analysts

    7

    ICT business and systems analysts

    <5

    General practitioners and resident medical officers

    7

      

    Other medical practitioners

    7

      

    ICT business and systems analysts

    7

      

    Accountants

    6

      

    University lecturers and tutors

    6

    2021–22

    Advertising, public relations and sales managers

    <5

    Registered nurses

    34

    Research and development managers

    <5

    Software and applications programmers

    20

    Land economists and valuers

    <5

    Accountants

    7

    Chemical and materials engineers

    <5

    General practitioners and resident medical officers

    6

    Registered nurses

    <5

    ICT business and systems analysts

    6

    Software and applications programmers

    <5

    Solicitors

    6

     

     

    University lecturers and tutors

    <5

     

     

    Computer network professionals

    <5

     

     

    Health and welfare services managers

    <5

     

     

    Management and organisation analysts

    <5

    Source: Department of Home Affairs

    Note: To protect the privacy of individuals, we have applied various data confidentiality techniques. These include:

    • data masking — using primary and secondary suppression methods for values that we deemed to be a disclosure risk
    • perturbation — a data security technique that allows for random data adjustment to prevent the release of identifiable data.

    Note: Occupation level information is available for primary applicants only. It is based on Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations at the unit level.

    Geographic dis​​tribution

    This table shows where migrants reside by state and territory, based on:

    • 2021 Census
    • permanent additions, for the Skill and Family streams
    • visa grants for:
      • international students
      • Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa primary applicants.​
    Table 4: Geographic distribution by state and territory

    Population

    NSW

    Vic

    Qld

    SA

    WA

    Tas

    NT

    ACT

    Census 2021 (%)

    Of all persons

    32

    26

    20

    7

    10

    2

    1

    2

    Of New Zealand-born

    22

    19

    39

    3

    14

    1

    1

    1

    Permanent additions - 2024–25 (%)

    Skill stream

    27

    28

    26

    6

    10

    2

    1

    2

    Family stream

    50

    14

    29

    7

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Temporary visa grants - 2024–25 (%)

    International student visa grants

    100

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa (primary) grants

    100

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics and Department of Home Affairs

    Note: Permanent additions consist of 2 components:

    • people who, while already in Australia on a temporary basis, are granted permanent residence status
    • people who have subsequently arrived from overseas during the reporting period and are entitled to stay permanently in Australia.

    Country ra​​​nking

    This table uses rankings to show the significance of New Zealand migration for the past 4 financial years.​

    Table 5: Country ranking, 2021–22 to 2024–25

    Ranked position of migrants

    2021–22

    2022–23

    2023–24

    2024–25

    Population in Australia 1

    4

    4

    4

    4

    Regional

    29

    49

    62

    57

    Employer Sponsored

    20

    14

    24

    46

    Total Skill stream

    6

    4

    30

    44

    Total Family and Child stream

    28

    33

    59

    98

    International students

    n/a

    162

    162

    161

    Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa

    75

    90

    108

    106

    Visitors

    109

    118

    109

    115

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics and Department of Home Affairs

    1Population level data is by country of birth and lags one year behind the financial year specified. Data based on the estimated residential population at 30 June 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

    ​
    pop-up content starts

    Popular searches

    Your previous searches

    pop-up content ends