India has once again emerged as the leading source of overseas-born citizens in New Zealand, with 5,777 out of 39,914 people granted citizenship in 2024 followed by the United Kingdom, according to the Department of Internal Affairs.
South Africans have surpassed Filipinos, now making up the third-largest group of overseas-born citizens in New Zealand.
The number of Pacific Islanders becoming New Zealanders saw a significant 67 percent increase. Among them, Tonga re-entered the top 10 countries at 8th rank, contributing to New Zealand's new citizens, while Australia dropped off the list.
Meanwhile, over 700 Germans took advantage of a law change in June last year, allowing them to retain dual citizenship while becoming New Zealanders. In contrast, Chinese nationals still have to renounce their citizenship, which has resulted in relatively lower numbers.
Indians have consistently ranked among the top groups acquiring New Zealand citizenship for nearly a decade. Between January 2013 and November 2023, they were second only to the United Kingdom, which includes England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Great Britain, followed by South Africa.
Historical data from 1949 to 2014 shows that Britain accounted for over a quarter of all overseas-born New Zealand citizens, followed by China and Samoa. However, by 2023, India had secured the second spot overall and has now cemented its position at the top for the second consecutive year.
Professor Paul Spoonley, a demographer, told RNZ that the number of new citizens in New Zealand represented a significant increase, especially compared to previous years. He explained that migration to New Zealand doesn't require citizenship to access services or vote, a system that has been in place since the 1960s, with Permanent Residence offering nearly the same benefits as citizenship.
He suggested that citizenship serves both as an act of loyalty to a new homeland and as a practical means of obtaining a passport, which facilitates global movement. He also predicted that people from South Africa and the Philippines would continue migrating to New Zealand in large numbers, keeping these countries among the top contributors to New Zealand's population for the foreseeable future. Spoonley highlighted that migration from South Africa was often driven by political instability and crime, with many South Africans already having family in New Zealand.
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