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• The Guardian
• Mon Nov 10 2025

Over the past few years, tens of thousands of New Zealanders have left the country, surpassing the last spike in 2012 and raising fears of a ?hollowing out? of mid-career workers.

Provisional data showed nearly 74,000 New Zealand citizens departed in the year to August 2025, up from the previous record of 73,300. It followed record numbers leaving through 2023 and into 2024.

Around 58% of those who left last year moved to Australia ? where average weekly incomes are higher and New Zealand citizens have work and residency rights.

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