Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Spike in migrants going north

By Jordan Bond
Northern Advocate·
5 May, 2016 08:21 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

NEW HOME: Mina Crisp, 59, who moved to Whangarei with her husband in September last year, said the most difficult part of moving to a new country was leaving close friends behind. PHOTO/MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM

NEW HOME: Mina Crisp, 59, who moved to Whangarei with her husband in September last year, said the most difficult part of moving to a new country was leaving close friends behind. PHOTO/MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM

Migrants are flowing into Northland in historically high numbers, though employment opportunities are few and far between, according to a community group.

Statistics New Zealand figures show in the 12 months to March, the region had a net increase of 809 long-term or permanent residents, more than any other 12-month period since at least 1990. This is a stark turnaround from 2012, when the region had a net loss of more than 1500 long-term residents.

WINGS, a Whangarei organisation helping new migrants settle, consistently welcomes new members, said co-founder Gina Eiger. She said many were skilled migrants moving with their family or spouse for work.

Mina Crisp, 59, moved to Whangarei with her husband in September last year. Emigrating from England, Mrs Crisp said the most difficult part of moving was leaving close friends behind.

"It's not knowing anybody. You don't have friends and you don't have family, and they're the groups of people you rely on for emotional health. That has been fairly difficult. But WINGS has been an absolute godsend, because they're a group of women who have all been through the same thing."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mrs Crisp, who grew up in Uganda and is of Indian origin, said living in England for many years made the shift easier, but she had sympathy for immigrants for whom the culture was a shock.

"Moving is never easy. It takes quite a lot of courage to move a long distance when you don't know what you're coming to," she said.

Mrs Eiger said finding a sense of belonging in a new community was difficult for many immigrants. Mrs Eiger, an American expat who has lived in Whangarei for 13 years, said many "trailing spouses" had a difficult time finding work in Northland.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"A lot of the time that trailing spouse is as qualified or even more qualified to work here."

Nationwide, net migration is also the highest since at least 1990. More than 124,000 immigrants entered New Zealand in the year to March, while 56,450 emigrated, resulting in a net gain of 67,619 people; the highest net figure in at least 26 years.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

'I didn’t have time to think': Well-known local rescues woman from rising flood

Northern Advocate

'Frankly dangerous': Gang member's alleged reckless driving near police lands him in court

Northern Advocate

Invasive sea spurge found at Spirits Bay, threatening native plants


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

'I didn’t have time to think': Well-known local rescues woman from rising flood
Northern Advocate

'I didn’t have time to think': Well-known local rescues woman from rising flood

Roddy Pihema saved a woman and her dog from rising floodwaters in Kawakawa.

16 Jul 06:00 AM
'Frankly dangerous': Gang member's alleged reckless driving near police lands him in court
Northern Advocate

'Frankly dangerous': Gang member's alleged reckless driving near police lands him in court

16 Jul 04:04 AM
Invasive sea spurge found at Spirits Bay, threatening native plants
Northern Advocate

Invasive sea spurge found at Spirits Bay, threatening native plants

16 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP