In the year to April, 30,000 non-New Zealand citizens who had been living here on a permanent or long-term basis left this country, according to Statistics New Zealand.
This was an increase of 23 per cent on the year before.
"I found settling in New Zealand really tough, but I am married to a Kiwi and I had to find a way to make things work," Lin-Lee said.
She attended an expo that year which she said changed her life.
The ANZ Migrant Expo, created to help migrants settle in New Zealand, will be held at The Cloud on Auckland's waterfront this Saturday, June 16, for the sixth year running.
There, Lin-Lee said, she received help from human resources professionals to change the way her CV was written.
She also made connections with Chinese community groups and local public services, and new friends who were also recent migrants.
Now Lin-Lee is working as a trade support professional in Albany on Auckland's North Shore, and is also expecting her first child.
"When I first came, I depended on Google and thought I could do everything myself," Lin-Lee said.
"But I want to say to other migrants, sometimes when you swallow your pride and let the experts help, that's when things start to happen."
The expo this year will focus on helping migrants understand New Zealand's education system, employment, living and community support offerings.
There will be eight seminars and more than 70 stalls, and entry is free.
Jack Hou, ANZ's head of migrant and Auckland Asian banking, said the expo was created to help new New Zealanders access practical advice and public services as they settle into life in Aotearoa.
Annual next migration is down 4800 from a high point a year ago.