The Former New Zealand Prime Minister has moved out of the country, joining a growing number of residents leaving amid concerns about a weak job market and rising living costs.
Jacinda Ardern confirmed last week that her family has relocated to Sydney, Australia. Despite New Zealand often ranking among the most desirable countries to move to and attracting wealthy American homebuyers, the number of New Zealanders leaving the country has increased sharply in recent years.
According to a report by CNN, the number of residents between the ages of 30 and 50 emigrating has more than doubled in the past four years, rising from 18,000 to 43,000. In the year ending in November 2025, nearly 122,000 people emigrated from New Zealand, a 4 percent increase from the previous year.
While younger residents in their 20s have traditionally left the country for work or travel opportunities in places such as London or Australia, older age groups are now also leaving, often departing established careers and long-term relationships.
“It’s quite an unusual trend,” Brad Olseon, chief executive and principal economist at Infometrics Ltd, told CNN. “It’s only when you have those much tougher economic times that you generally see a net outflow of groups over 40.”
The outlet spoke with several families leaving New Zealand, including one family that said the father would receive a 50 percent salary increase in Australia, working as a data engineer. New Zealand citizens automatically receive work and residency rights in Australia.
While Australia is the most common relocation destination, other families have moved to the US, particularly large cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.
Over the past two years, New Zealand’s economy has experienced negative growth, with unemployment recently reaching a decade high. The housing market has also suffered a sharp drop since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The country faces its highest unemployment rate since 2016, making jobs harder to find, especially for young and mid-career workers,” Olseon explained.
