Data from the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment shows a big surge in the number of older migrants gaining New Zealand residency over the last two years, with particularly strong growth in the number aged 65 and over getting residence visas in the last 12 months. They then surged strongly over 2022/23, hitting 8538 in the 12 months to May 2023, then dropped back to 6285 in the 12 months to May 2024. But there has been a big shift towards more older migrants aged 65 and over gaining residence visas in the last 12 months. Of the 8538 aged 50-plus who gained residence in the year to May 2023, 7023 (82%) were aged 50-59, while just 621 (7%) were aged 65 and older. However in the year to May 2024, the number of residence visas approved for people aged 65 and over jumped to 2223, which was 35% of all residence visas approved for people aged 50 and above.
