The flood of migrants crossing the Tasman is at its highest level for 20 years, with almost 1000 people leaving for Australia every week.
In the year ended January, 48,500 New Zealanders headed to Australia on a permanent or long-term basis, with only 13,100 coming the other way,
according to Statistics New Zealand figures.
The net outflow of 35,400 people in the year broke the January 1989 year record of 33,700 and the December 1979 year record of 33,400.
However, despite the loss of residents to Australia, New Zealand gained overall 4500 more migrants than it lost.
Paul Verhoeven, of recruitment consultant company Debbie Graham & Associates, said the high number of Kiwis crossing the Ditch could be attributed to people reacting to the global financial crisis.
"People want to remain employed and there's equal opportunities over there. It's more of a back-up plan now."
Mr Verhoeven said that in the past year he had seen a sharp increase in the number of people applying to be recruited, both in New Zealand and Australia.
In the 12 months to January 31, 2,449,000 visitors came to New Zealand, down 1 per cent on the previous January year.
Short-term travel to and from New Zealand dropped in January.
Short-term overseas visitor arrivals totalled 244,000 in the month, and resident short-term departures stood at 105,100 - down 4 per cent and 5 per cent respectively on January last year.
New Zealanders took fewer short-term overseas trips in the year, with Pacific destinations showing the sharpest downturn. Travel to Fiji was down 38 per cent, New Caledonia down 84 per cent and the United States down 22 per cent.
- NZPA
