Among New Zealanders who returned to live in New Zealand between the March 2005 and 2007 quarters, three-quarters settled in the North Island. This is similar to the total New Zealand population living in the North Island. Similarly, one-third of returning New Zealanders chose to live in the Auckland region, which is home to the same proportion of the total New Zealand population living there. The neighbouring Waikato region also attracts a significant proportion of returning New Zealanders, as do Wellington and Canterbury. The four regions accounted for 70 percent of returning New Zealanders.
Table 6
Movers to New Zealand by Country of Birth
By region of current residence
March 2007 quarter |
| Region |
Country of birth |
| New Zealand |
Overseas |
New Zealand |
Overseas |
| (000) |
Percent |
| Auckland |
14.1 |
44.1 |
34.4 |
56.7 |
| Waikato(1) |
3.0 |
5.1 |
7.4 |
6.6 |
| Wellington |
5.9 |
6.9 |
14.4 |
8.8 |
| Remaining North Island(2) |
7.7 |
7.1 |
18.6 |
9.1 |
| Canterbury |
5.9 |
9.7 |
14.4 |
12.4 |
| Remaining South Island(3) |
4.4 |
5.0 |
10.8 |
6.5 |
| Region stated |
41.1 |
77.9 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
(1) Figures should be used with caution due to high sample errors.
(2) Northland, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Taranaki and Manawatu-Wanganui regions combined.
(3) Tasman, Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast, Otago and Southland regions combined.
The settlement pattern for those born overseas differed from that of returning New Zealanders; more than half of the overseas-born settled in the Auckland region. Eighty-two percent settled in the North Island regions. Overseas-born migrants tended to settle in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch cities, so that only 15 percent of overseas-born migrants were outside Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and Canterbury regions.
Table 6
Mean Age of Movers to New Zealand by Current Residence
For selected regions
March 2007 quarter |
| Region |
Mean age |
| Auckland |
32.1 |
| Waikato |
32.3 |
| Wellington |
32.1 |
| Canterbury |
38.5 |
| New Zealand |
33.6 |
By region (Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and Canterbury), there were differences in the age group pattern of the population who had moved from overseas. The North Island centres (Auckland, Waikato and Wellington) attracted tertiary students and young workers, resulting in a mean age of about 32 years, which was lower than the New Zealand mean age of all people who moved from overseas (34 years) during the two-year period. In contrast, Canterbury region also attracted the older age range of settlers, resulting in a much higher mean age (39 years) of settlers from overseas.