Nearly 65,000 Kiwis Left In A Year. If You're Eyeing Australia, Weigh This Up First.

In the year to August, 64,800 New Zealand citizens left the country long term and 26,600 came home, a net loss of 38,200, according to Stats NZ's latest migration estimates. As interest.co.nz pointed out, departures are roughly flat on a year ago and below the 2024 peak, but still about 64 percent higher than in the year to August 2019, while the number of Kiwis coming back is up 5.8 percent.

The trans-Tasman numbers show a similar pattern. RNZ reported a net loss of 27,900 people across the Tasman in the year to March, down from 31,100 the year before, and The Post's look at who is going put departures to Australia at 47,900 and arrivals from there at 19,900 over the same year.

If you are an experienced IT, digital, finance, risk or corporate professional, you probably know a few people who have gone, and you may well have had the conversation at home yourself. We are not going to try to talk anyone out of it, because for plenty of people it turns out to be the right call. It is worth basing the decision on how the two markets look now, though, rather than how they looked two years ago.

The gap is narrower than it was

Australia's unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in September, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, with employment falling by about 39,000 over the month. New Zealand's was 5.6 percent in the June quarter, and our next official figures come out on 4 November.

Infometrics demographer Nick Brunsden told RNZ that the gap of about a percentage point between the two countries is starting to close, and that he expects it to be closer to half a point within a year or two. His view is that Australia is at a different point in the cycle, with its central bank keeping interest rates higher, so just as New Zealand starts to pick up, Australia may be heading into a softer patch.

Australia's tech market is not a free run

SEEK's Australian September report had job ads up 0.5 percent, the third monthly rise in a row and the first run like that since 2022. That growth was driven mainly by retail, logistics and trades, though. Information and communication technology ads fell 3.7 percent nationally in September, and 6.8 percent in Victoria, while applications per job ad across Australia have been rising for more than two years.

That does not mean the work is not there. Tech, finance and professional workers are in high demand in Sydney and Melbourne, but also fewer employers are now offering to cover relocation costs.

It is not standing still here either

The New Zealand market is competitive at the moment, with applications per job ad up 2.9 percent in SEEK's September report, but job ads are also 7.8 percent higher than a year ago. Stats NZ's filled jobs data for August showed the biggest annual increases among people aged 35 to 39 (up 3.2 percent), 40 to 44 (up 2.8 percent) and 45 to 49 (up 2.6 percent). Some of that is simply population change, but it is a reminder that employers here are still taking on experienced people.

What to weigh up before you go

The first thing we would ask anyone thinking about it is whether this is a career move, a lifestyle move or a money move, because the answer changes how you should go about it. If it is mainly about career, the strongest version is moving with a role already lined up, ideally one that gives you a step up in scope you could not easily get here. Going over first and looking once you arrive is still possible, but it costs more and takes longer than people tend to expect, particularly in tech, where there is plenty of local competition.

It is also worth being clear about whether your employer will pay to move you, given that fewer are doing so, and how long you plan to stay. The paperwork is simpler than it used to be, as New Zealand citizens get a Special Category Visa on arrival and, since July 2023, can apply directly for Australian citizenship once they meet the residence requirements. Get proper advice on tax, KiwiSaver and Australian super before you go rather than after.

If you think you might come back

Plenty of people do come back, and in our experience a few years of Australian experience at a bigger scale reads well to New Zealand employers, especially in IT, finance and risk. The people who return most easily are the ones who kept their networks here warm while they were away. That means staying in touch with former managers and colleagues, keeping your LinkedIn current, and letting a recruiter you trust know what kind of role would bring you home. Some returners also keep working remotely for their Australian employer for a while, which can work well, but check the tax and employment side of it first.

What this means for candidates

Australia is still a strong option for experienced professionals, but the gap between the two job markets is smaller than it was, tech job ads over there have dipped, and it is a harder move to make on the fly than it used to be. Whichever way you go, the best outcomes we see come from people who line up the right role first and decide based on the job in front of them, not the headlines.

If you are weighing up a move to Australia against your next step here and want a straight read on what the New Zealand market looks like for your skills, talk to the Find team.

Sources: Stats NZ, International migration: August 2026 (14 October 2026); interest.co.nz, Greg Ninness (14 October 2026); RNZ, "Figures show fewer Kiwis moving across the Tasman" (15 October 2026); The Post, Nikki Macdonald (16 October 2026); Australian Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force, Australia, September 2026; SEEK Australia Employment Report, September 2026; SEEK NZ Employment Report, September 2026; Stats NZ, Employment indicators: August 2026; Australian Department of Home Affairs.

Cover photo: Robert Linsdell, CC BY 2.0.