Refugees by country of asylum in New Zealand
New Zealand: Refugees by country of asylum was 2,063 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in New Zealand, 1967–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of asylum in New Zealand stood at 2,063 people.
The figure is up 12.3% on the previous year and up 53.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in New Zealand peaked at 17,310 people in 1992 and was at its lowest, 1,313 people, in 2015.
That places New Zealand 119th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 3,000 people | — |
| 1968 | 2,000 people | -33.3% |
| 1969 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 10,000 people | +400.0% |
| 1979 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 10,600 people | +6.0% |
| 1982 | 10,600 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 10,600 people | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 4,500 people | -57.5% |
| 1985 | 4,600 people | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 4,400 people | -4.3% |
| 1987 | 4,200 people | -4.5% |
| 1988 | 4,150 people | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 4,666 people | +12.4% |
| 1990 | 4,666 people | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 16,760 people | +259.2% |
| 1992 | 17,310 people | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 3,942 people | -77.2% |
| 1994 | 3,668 people | -7.0% |
| 1995 | 3,766 people | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 3,790 people | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 3,652 people | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 4,099 people | +12.2% |
| 1999 | 4,801 people | +17.1% |
| 2000 | 4,919 people | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 5,251 people | +6.7% |
| 2002 | 5,760 people | +9.7% |
| 2003 | 5,796 people | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 5,334 people | -8.0% |
| 2005 | 5,298 people | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 4,878 people | -7.9% |
| 2007 | 2,715 people | -44.3% |
| 2008 | 2,702 people | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 3,285 people | +21.6% |
| 2010 | 2,298 people | -30.0% |
| 2011 | 1,916 people | -16.6% |
| 2012 | 1,504 people | -21.5% |
| 2013 | 1,388 people | -7.7% |
| 2014 | 1,342 people | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 1,313 people | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 1,408 people | +7.2% |
| 2017 | 1,465 people | +4.0% |
| 2018 | 1,545 people | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 1,709 people | +10.6% |
| 2020 | 1,748 people | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 1,794 people | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 1,791 people | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 1,837 people | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 2,063 people | +12.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 2,063 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 20% of the median. (67 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 2,063 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 51.5 people, 40.1× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +400.0% | 2,000 people | 10,000 people |
| 1991 | +259.2% | 4,666 people | 16,760 people |
| 1993 | -77.2% | 17,310 people | 3,942 people |
| 1984 | -57.5% | 10,600 people | 4,500 people |
| 2007 | -44.3% | 4,878 people | 2,715 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,333 people | 2,000 people | 3,000 people | 3 |
| 1970s | 7,333 people | 2,000 people | 10,000 people | 3 |
| 1980s | 6,832 people | 4,150 people | 10,600 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 6,645 people | 3,652 people | 17,310 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,594 people | 2,702 people | 5,796 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,589 people | 1,313 people | 2,298 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,847 people | 1,748 people | 2,063 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 42.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2499 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in New Zealand?
- Refugees by country of asylum in New Zealand was 2,063 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 17,310 people in 1992.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,313 people in 2015.
- How does New Zealand rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- New Zealand ranks 119th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.