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Myth Busters >
There was a surge in New Zealanders returning from overseas because of 9/11
There was an increase in permanent and long-term (PLT) arrivals of New Zealand citizens between 2001 and 2003 – but was this a result of the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001?
PLT arrivals of NZ citizens from countries other than the United Kingdom and United States had in fact been increasing since early 2001. This followed an increase in PLT departures of NZ citizens several years earlier. PLT migration data for the last three decades shows increases or decreases in NZ citizen arrivals a few years after a similar trend in departures.
PLT arrivals of NZ citizens from the United Kingdom and the United States did begin to increase during or soon after September 2001. While the timing supports the 9/11 theory, PLT departures of NZ citizens to these countries had also increased a few years earlier and are likely to have contributed to the increase in arrivals.
This myth is partially busted, but where did it come from?
PLT arrivals of New Zealand citizens increased from 21,600 in the year ended August 2001 to 25,300 in the year ended August 2002. There was also a further increase to 27,300 in the year ended August 2003. Because of the timing, the increase has widely been attributed to New Zealanders returning home after the September 2001 terrorist attacks due to New Zealand's reputation as a safe place to live.
While the September 2001 terrorist attacks may have had some effect on the number of returning New Zealanders, much of the increase actually appears to be related to the high level of departures a few years earlier. There were 61,600 PLT departures of New Zealand citizens in the year ended August 2001, up from 45,500 three years earlier and 30,100 in the year ended August 1993.
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