Immigration Officer Scott Morrison
Australia's Minister of Immigration and Border Protection Scott Morrison speaks at a news conference during his working visit to Malaysia, at the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency office in Putrajaya February 5, 2014. Reuters/Samsul Said

The decade long trend of New Zealanders migrating to Australia has been reversed with more Aussies now migrating to New Zealand. This has happened the first time in 24 years as more Australians moved to New Zealand to live and work than the other way around. This reversal of trend is inextricably linked to the new economic climate where Australia's economy is slowing and New Zealand's economy is surging, reports BBC.

Unemployment In Australia

In his budget speech on May 21, New Zealand's Finance Minister Bill English announced that the number of unemployed in New Zealand will fall to 4.5 percent from 5.8 percent by 2019 and there will be a budget surplus in 2016. There is cheer in the economy.

Contrast this with Australia, which has been experiencing some of the highest unemployment rates and it is feared to touch 7 percent by 2016. For Aussies and Kiwis mutual migration has been easy because of a bilateral agreement that permits free migration of citizens. In Australia, the decline in mining boom made things more difficult. “Mining investment has been falling and the rest of the economy is so-so,” noted HSBC economist Paul Bloxham.

According to ‘Statistics New Zealand’ there was a net monthly inflow of 100 migrants from Australia to New Zealand in April 2015. It meant, for the first time since 1991, more Australians arrived in New Zealand than New Zealanders going to Australia.

More Migrant Arrivals

The number of New Zealanders crossing the Tasman has already dropped by more than a half in the past two years. From 45,700 in April 2013 it came down to 22,300 in April 2015.

New Zealand with a population of 4.4 million has been gaining an average 4,500 migrants since Jan 2015, reports The Guardian. In 2015, migrant arrivals showed an increase of 16 percent, while departures decreased by 11 percent. The following countries topped in migration to New Zealand in the 12 months that ended in April 2015-- India (12,200), China (7,800), the United Kingdom (4,600) and the Philippines (4,000).

According to the Royal Society of New Zealand, the flow of migrants from Australia will pick up pace given New Zealand’s large expatriate population and Australians’ unrestricted access to the New Zealand labour market and eligibility for welfare schemes.

(For feedback/comments, contact the writer at k.kumar@ibtimes.com.au)

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