WELLINGTON, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China remained the largest source of foreign arrivals in New Zealand, and China was New Zealanders' third favorite overseas destination in terms of increases in overseas trips, New Zealand's statistics department Stats NZ said on Thursday.
New Zealand's annual net migration reached 72,000 in the May 2017 year, with major non-citizen arrivals from China, Britain and Australia, according to the Stats NZ.
Migrant arrivals reached 130,400 and migrant departures numbered 58,400 in the year ended May 2017, it said.
"The continued high level of net migration in the May 2017 year was driven by non-New Zealand citizens migrating to New Zealand," population statistics senior manager Peter Dolan said, adding, "Of the 130,400 migrant arrivals, 3 out of 4 were non-New Zealand citizens."
On a net basis, New Zealand citizens leaving and returning to this country almost balanced each other out in the last 12 months. There was a net migration gain of 73,300 non-New Zealand citizens in the past year, according to the release.
Of the 98,300 non-New Zealand citizen arrivals, 12 percent were from China, 10 percent were from Britain, and 10 percent were from Australia.
Annual migrant arrivals from India fell 31 percent to 9,200 in the May 2017 year, mainly due to a 40-percent drop in annual student visa arrivals.
Offsetting the fall in the number of Indian migrants were rises in migrant arrivals from Britain, which was up 12 percent to 15,100, and South Africa, which was up 59 percent to 5,000, Stats NZ said.
