New Zealand is experiencing a surge in migration from China, but many of the new arrivals are unlikely to stay, an Auckland University doctoral student's study has found.

China has been New Zealand's second-largest migrant source country since the Immigration Act 1987 came into effect, behind only Britain.

Last year, China outstripped Britain, supplying the highest number of new immigrants aged 20 and over.

Even after gaining New Zealand citizenship, many will leave, either to return to China or to go to a third country such as Australia, says the study, titled "Homeland on the move: New Chinese immigrants to New Zealand as transnationals".

"Being a New Zealand citizen does not result in full incorporation with and a sense of belonging to the host society for new China immigrants," said the report by Liangni Liu, 33, a doctoral student at the university's School of Asian Studies.

"Nor does it deter the pervasive identification of being 'Chinese' or the conceptualisation of 'home' as an emotional longing for the place of origin."

Of the 47 Chinese immigrants interviewed for the study, 27 had returned to China, 10 moved to Australia and only 10 remained.

Ms Liu, from Sichuan, said New Zealand was not the preferred destination choice for most Chinese immigrants, ranking lower than countries such as America, Canada and Australia.

But it was seen by Chinese migrants as a "good stepping stone" to get to another Western country.

"Gaining New Zealand residency or citizenship will give them a legal status to move to a more prosperous country, such as Australia," she said.

"New Zealand educational qualifications will also give them better employment opportunities there."

Reasons given for moving away included better job opportunities, family and the feeling they were not welcome in New Zealand.

"New Zealand is not multicultural enough and not tolerant enough towards foreigners," said a respondent, Sunny, who returned to China after becoming a New Zealand citizen. Another said the Chinese in New Zealand were always being regarded by locals as "just another bloody Asian newcomer".

"I am Chinese and China is my country. My home is here and here is a place where I feel I belong. In New Zealand, even though they offered me citizenship, I could not find the feeling of being home," said Lucy, another Kiwi citizen who has returned to China.

Ms Liu's report said: "For many, their transnational migration trajectories are open-ended. They may have some forward planning in mind, which may not necessarily involve returning to New Zealand."

Immigration figures show 25 per cent - or 14,868 - of the Chinese approved for residence between 2001 and 2008 are not now in New Zealand.

Asian studies professor Manying Ip, who is supervising Ms Liu's study, said the movements of the Chinese were not unlike those of many young New Zealand graduates.

"Being well educated makes these people extremely mobile ... [They will] go where the best opportunities are," Professor Ip said.

"But many also could also return here in the future to retire, or to raise a family."

SHORT STOP

• China is this country's second-largest source of migrants.
• New Zealand is seen as a stepping stone to get to other Western countries such as Australia.
• Immigration New Zealand says 14,868 Chinese approved for residence between 2001 and 2008 are not now in New Zealand.

(Source Lincoln Tan, NZ Herald)