New Zealand posts slowest population growth in three years

More New Zealand citizens look overseas for better-paying jobs as cooling economic growth pushes up the unemployment rate and caps wages. - Reuters

WELLINGTON: New Zealand’s population is growing at the slowest pace in almost three years as a sluggish economic recovery deters foreign immigrants and prompts more citizens to depart.

The estimated population grew by 37,400 in the 12 months through June, reaching almost 5.33 million, Statistics New Zealand said Tuesday (Aug 19) in Wellington. That’s the weakest expansion since the third quarter of 2022.