Annual migrant arrivals in New Zealand have exceeded 100,000 for the first time ever, the latest figures published by Statistics New Zealand show.

In the June 2014 year, permanent and long term migrant arrivals numbered 100,800, up 14% from 2013, the first time more than 100,000 arrivals have been recorded in a single year.

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Migrant departures numbered 62,400, down 22%. This resulted in a net gain of 38,300 migrants, the highest annual gain since the October 2003 year when it was 39,300. The data also shows that New Zealand recorded its highest ever net gain of 42,500 migrants in the May 2003 year.

In the latest year, New Zealand had a net loss of 8,300 migrants to Australia, well down from 31,200 a year earlier. Net gains were recorded from most other countries, led by India at 7,000, China at 6,300, and the United Kingdom at 5,500.

In June 2014, New Zealand had a seasonally adjusted net gain, that is, more arrivals than departures, of 4,300 migrants, the second highest monthly gain of migrants. The highest gain ever recorded was in February 2003 when it was 4,700.

Net migration has been positive and mostly increasing since September 2012. The difference in the net gains recorded in September 2012 and June 2014 was mainly due to fewer New Zealand citizens leaving for Australia, down 2,400, more non-New Zealand citizens arriving, up 1,500, and more New Zealand citizens arriving from Australia, up 500.

Seasonally-adjusted long term arrivals of 2,000 migrants from Australia in June 2014 matched the number of departures to that country, resulting in net migration of zero. The last time this series recorded net migration of zero was in August 1991.

Overall visitor arrivals to New Zealand reached a new monthly high for the month of June with 162,100 arriving in the country.

‘Visitor arrivals are the highest ever for a June month. Growth was driven by visitors from Asia, especially Japan and China,’ said population statistics manager Vina Cullum.

In the June 2014 year, visitor arrivals numbered 2.79 million, up 6% from the June 2013 year. The data shows that the top four sources of visitors were Australia, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

New Zealand residents departed on 206,500 overseas trips in June 2014, up 4% from June 2013. Over the June 2014 year, New Zealand residents took 2.24 million trips, up 4% from last year.