WELLINGTON, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand had a net migration gain of 44,900 in the September 2024 year, continuing to fall from the provisional peak of 136,300 in the October 2023 year, according to the statistics department Stats NZ on Wednesday.

The fall in net migration reflects that arrivals are down, and departures are up, Stats NZ international migration statistics manager Sarah Drake said.

There were 177,900 migrant arrivals in the September 2024 year, which is still high by historical standards, compared with a record 235,500 migrant arrivals in the October 2023 year, Drake said, adding that there were a record 133,000 migrant departures in the September 2024 year, compared with 99,300 migrant departures in the October 2023 year.

Changes in migration are typically due to relative economic and labor market conditions between New Zealand and the rest of the world, and immigration policy in New Zealand and other countries, she said.

Net migration loss of New Zealand citizens continues to set records, with a provisional net migration loss of 54,700 New Zealand citizens in the September 2024 year, driven by a record 79,700 migrant departures, just over half of which went to Australia, which more than offset 24,900 migrant arrivals, statistics show.

There was a provisional net migration gain of 99,600 non-New Zealand citizens in the September 2024 year, down from the peak of 177,200 in the October 2023 year, but still high by historical standards, Drake said, adding that citizens of India, the Philippines and China drove net migration gains in the September 2024 year.

The smaller net migration gain of non-New Zealand citizens was driven by a fall in the number of migrant arrivals, she said, adding that migrant departures of non-New Zealand citizens rose to 53,300 in the September 2024 year, up from 35,300 in the October 2023 year.