Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in New Zealand
New Zealand: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum was 4,584 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in New Zealand, 2000–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 4,584 for asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 28.8% on the previous year and up 3,197.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in New Zealand peaked at 4,584 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 113, in 2008.
New Zealand ranks 70th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,337 | — |
| 2001 | 1,917 | -18.0% |
| 2002 | 1,320 | -31.1% |
| 2003 | 1,019 | -22.8% |
| 2004 | 720 | -29.3% |
| 2005 | 370 | -48.6% |
| 2006 | 217 | -41.4% |
| 2007 | 149 | -31.3% |
| 2008 | 113 | -24.2% |
| 2009 | 203 | +79.6% |
| 2010 | 157 | -22.7% |
| 2011 | 201 | +28.0% |
| 2012 | 248 | +23.4% |
| 2013 | 291 | +17.3% |
| 2014 | 240 | -17.5% |
| 2015 | 139 | -42.1% |
| 2016 | 298 | +114.4% |
| 2017 | 391 | +31.2% |
| 2018 | 446 | +14.1% |
| 2019 | 558 | +25.1% |
| 2020 | 691 | +23.8% |
| 2021 | 711 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 573 | -19.4% |
| 2023 | 1,839 | +220.9% |
| 2024 | 3,559 | +93.5% |
| 2025 | 4,584 | +28.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 836.5 | 113 | 2,337 | 10 |
| 2010s | 296.9 | 139 | 558 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,993 | 573 | 4,584 | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More social development data for New Zealand
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,148 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 58 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 58 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in New Zealand?
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in New Zealand was 4,584 in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 4,584 in 2025.
- What is the lowest asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 113 in 2008.
- How does New Zealand rank for asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?
- New Zealand ranks 70th out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3,197.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.