Why Are New Zealanders Moving to Australia? More Money, Better Vibes.

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 5 min read 100% complete by Yan Zhuang and Tatsiana ChypsanavaJanuary 19, 2026 at 06:01 AM

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long article 5 min

Over the year ending in October, more than 1% of New Zealand's population, exceeding 71,000 citizens, emigrated, marking the highest outbound migration since the 2008 financial crisis. A significant portion of these New Zealanders are moving to Australia, drawn by better salaries, career prospects, and a lower cost of living. This migration is facilitated by a reciprocal visa arrangement allowing New Zealanders to live and work in Australia indefinitely. The exodus is driven by dissatisfaction with New Zealand's weak labor market and sluggish post-pandemic economy. Even high-profile figures, like the former mayor of Wellington, are relocating to Australia seeking brighter opportunities.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Wellington International Airport 40% New Zealand Police 40% Melbourne 40% Wellington ×360% Tory Whanau ×370% Australia ×680% New Zealand ×790%

Keywords

migration 90% new zealand 80% australia 80% labor market 70% economic opportunity 70% salaries 60% post-pandemic economy 50% cost of living 50% tory whanau 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.20

Source Transparency

Source

New York Times - World

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.30)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

New Zealand

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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migration new zealand australia labor market economic opportunity salaries post-pandemic economy cost of living tory whanau

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