Indian, Chinese students help drive record New Zealand migration numbers

Students from India and China helped to drive a record net gain in migrants to New Zealand in the year to the end of July, the government statistics agency said Friday.

Annual permanent and long-term migration showed a record net gain -- the number of arrivals over departures -- of 59,600 migrants in the July year, resulting from 117,100 arrivals and 57, 500 departures, according to Statistics New Zealand.

Of the arrivals, 13,800 were from India, with three-quarters having student visas, and 10,400 were from China, with about half having student visas, said a statement from the agency.

July also set a record with the highest ever monthly net gain in migrants at 5,700, surpassing the previous record of 5,400 set in January this year.

The influx of migrants would put a strain on all public services, including hospitals, and demand for housing, especially in the overheated market of Auckland, the country's most populous city, the opposition New Zealand First party warned.

The "artificial export education demand" from foreign students would also drive competition for limited numbers of jobs and keep wages down, warned New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.

"We know that most foreign students use student visas as their swipe card to permanent residency, and that's how agents sell New Zealand education to them," Peters said in a statement. Endi