New Zealand suffered a net migration loss of 27,000 people to Australia in 2023, the highest number for a decade.
More than 44,500 Kiwis sought to escape the post-pandemic economic downturn, compared with 17,500 Australians heading the other way.
While the number of Australians heading to NZ was roughly steady since 2021, the number of Kiwis in the departure lounges is spiking.