Population and migration (M12)

The data: coverage, periodicity and timeliness

Coverage characteristics

Population

Population estimates are derived from the latest census data with adjustments for net census undercount, residents temporarily overseas on census night, and births, deaths and migration since the census.

International travel and migration

International travel and migration statistics measure the number of overseas visitors, New Zealand resident travellers, and permanent and long-term migrants entering or leaving New Zealand.

These statistics are based on electronic arrival and departure records for each international passenger, supplied to Statistics New Zealand by the New Zealand Customs Service.

Periodicity

Quarterly

Timeliness

We publish provisional population estimates within six weeks after the end of the reference quarter. Final population estimates are derived when an extra quarter of detailed births and deaths is available, about five months after the end of the reference quarter.

We release final international travel and migration statistics approximately three weeks after the end of the reference quarter. The delay is longer for December data due to the peak travel period coinciding with the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Access by the public

Statistics release calendar

The statistics release calendar provides a long-term plan of scheduled releases. We update and release the calendar on the first working day of the month.

View the statistics release calendar

Integrity

Dissemination of terms and conditions under which official statistics are produced, including confidentiality of individual responses

We reproduced the data with the permission of Statistics New Zealand.

Provision of information about revisions and advance notice of major changes in methodology

We generally publish revisions when we update and release a table. New or revised data is in bold font.

We produce provisional and final population estimates for the resident population each quarter. We derive final estimates when an extra quarter of detailed births and deaths data are available. Changes between the provisional and final estimates are most apparent in the younger and older age groups, due to delayed registration of births and deaths.

Quality

Dissemination of documentation on methodology and sources used in preparing statistics

We sourced data from Statistics New Zealand.

National population estimates

International travel and migration

Population estimates

Estimated resident population

An estimate of all people who usually live in New Zealand on a given date. Visitors from overseas are excluded.

Estimates of the resident population are based on the latest census data and on births, deaths and migration since the census.

We sourced the StatsNZ infoshare ID for this series from:

• Estimated resident population - DPEQ.SG1CTOT

Stats NZ: Estimated resident population

Arrivals and departures

Passenger travel

Total border crossings by travellers and migrants.

We sourced the StatsNZ infoshare IDs for these series from:

• Total arrivals - ITMQ.STZAS
• Total departures - ITMQ.STZDS

Stats NZ: International Travel and Migration Population

Estimated migrant arrivals

Number of overseas residents or New Zealanders who have been out of New Zealand for more than 12 months who arrive in New Zealand and cumulatively spend 12 of the next 16 months in New Zealand.

• Estimated migrant arrivals - ITMQ.SEMAAS

Stats NZ: Permanent and long-term (PLT) migration - arrivals

Estimated migrant departures

Number of New Zealand residents or number of overseas residents who have been in New Zealand more than 12 months who depart New Zealand and cumulatively spend 12 of the next 16 months out of New Zealand.

• Estimated migrant departures - ITMQ.SEMADS

Stats NZ: Permanent and long-term (PLT) migration - departures

Estimated migration net

Estimated migrant arrivals minus estimated migrant departures.

• Estimated migration net - ITMQ.SEMANS

Stats NZ: Net migration.

Estimated short term arrivals

People who live overseas and visit New Zealand for less than 12 months. The residual of total passenger arrivals minus estimated migrant arrivals.

Stats NZ: Short term arrivals

Estimated short term departures

People who live in New Zealand and travel overseas for less than 12 months. The residual of total passenger departures minus estimated migrant departures.

Stats NZ: Short term departures

Changes to the M12 web table

From 9 August 2019, Stats NZ have discontinued some series from official international travel and migration statistics, following the change to an ‘outcomes-based’ measure of migration.

The intention based migration numbers have been removed from the M12 web table and replaced with the new outcomes based measure of migration numbers.

Removed series:

• ITM.Q.R01M03.ns - Permanent and long-term migration - Arrivals
• ITM.Q.R02M03.ns - Permanent and long-term migration - Departures
• ITM.Q.R03M03.ns - Net permanent and long-term migration
• ITM.Q.R01M02.ns - Short-term visitor arrivals
• ITMV.Q.R01O02M02.ns - Short-term New Zealand resident arrivals
• ITM.Q.R02M02.ns - Short-term visitor departures
• ITMV.Q.R02O02M02.ns - Short-term New Zealand resident departures.

Replacement series:

• ITM.Q.R01M01.ns - Total passenger arrivals
• ITM.Q.R02M01.ns - Total passenger departures
• ITM.Q.R01M04.ns - Estimated migration - Arrivals
• ITM.Q.R02M04.ns - Estimated migration - Departures
• ITM.Q.R03M04.ns - Estimated migration - Net
• ITM.Q.R01M06.ns - Estimated short term travel - Arrivals
• ITM.Q.R02M06.ns - Estimated short term travel - Departures.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

Symbols and conventions for summary table

General notes

• Individual figures may not sum to the totals due to rounding
• Percentage changes are calculated on unrounded numbers
• You are free to copy, distribute and adapt these statistics subject to the conditions listed on our copyright page.