Asian mobility in New Zealand

Regional migration

Between 2001 and 2006, 42 percent of the Asian population who had been living in New Zealand in 2001 had not moved and a further 48 percent moved within the same region council area. Inter-regional movers accounted for 10 percent of the region's Asian population aged five years and older who had not been overseas in 2001.

Auckland region dominated because of the portion of the Asian population living in that region (66 percent). Between 2001 and 2006, 41 percent of the Asian population in Auckland who were living in New Zealand in 2001 had not moved and 53 percent had moved within the region. Although the exchange of people between Auckland and other regions was largest, Auckland lost only 3 percent of this population to other regions, while other regions contributed 6 percent of the Asian population.

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Urban-rural exchange of people

The vast majority (92 percent) of Asian internal migrants who moved between 2001 and 2006 moved within or between main urban areas. The remaining 8 percent involved the exchange of people between the various urban and rural area types. The main urban areas gained more internal migrants than they lost to other area types. The majority of the net gain to main urban areas was from population moving between main urban and minor urban areas. This contrasts with small net losses to other area types. However, in general the size of the outflows is very similar to the size of the inflows.

Figure 15

Figure 16

Gains from overseas

International migration has a significant relationship with internal migration. People who migrate or return to New Zealand tend to settle initially in the major centres – primarily in Auckland but also in significant numbers in Christchurch and Hamilton. Many subsequently move, contributing to internal migration patterns. Similarly, other people may choose to move to another country rather than to another part of New Zealand.

Asian people are highly urbanised and new migrants and people returning from overseas tend to settle in main urban areas. While the vast majority live in main urban areas, it is noteworthy that, in 2006, people who had been overseas five years earlier also made up 39 percent of the main urban area Asian population in main urban areas. In minor urban areas a similar percentage (37 percent) of the resident Asian population had been overseas five years ago, whereas less than 30 percent of the Asian population in other area types had been overseas five years ago.

Table 4

 

Auckland is the key point of entry for the majority of people arriving in or returning to New Zealand. Auckland, in 2006, accounted for 68 percent of people of Asian ethnicities who had been living overseas five years ago. Canterbury region was the next most popular region with nearly 10 percent of this group living in that region.

The age distribution of those who were overseas five years ago who were living in the Auckland territorial authorities shows quite distinct location preferences. Auckland City attracted more people of Asian ethnicities in all age groups than other areas, but the 15–29 year age group dominated because of the large overseas student population living in Auckland City. The relationship between the 5–14 years ago group and the 30–49 years age group suggests that family migration was significant for Manukau, North Shore and Waitakere Cities.

Figure 17

Information sources

1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 Censuses of Population and Dwellings.

Glossary

Please refer to Glossary.

Further information

This page is part of a web-based analytical report by Statistics New Zealand.
The report includes more than 10 topics. To see the other topics, go to the Internal Migration report introduction page.