Key Findings

How many domestic doctoral graduates leave New Zealand? How many return and how many stay away?

On average, over the last 20 years, approximately 20 percent of domestic doctoral graduates left New Zealand in the first year after completing their degrees, followed by five percent in the second year and three percent in the third year. Cumulatively, 32 percent of domestic graduates had spent at least six months of at least one calendar year overseas within the first five years after completing their studies. Conversely, 68 percent remained continuously in New Zealand throughout the five-year period. After 10 years, 36 percent of domestic graduates had spent the majority of at least one year overseas.

While many domestic doctoral graduates go overseas after graduation, a significant share eventually return to New Zealand. While 32 percent of domestic doctoral graduates had spent the majority of at least one year overseas in the first five years after graduation, 9 percent had returned to New Zealand while 23 percent remained abroad. After ten years, 36 percent had gone overseas, with 15 percent returning and 21 percent still overseas. That is, around one in five domestic doctoral graduates leave New Zealand long term after their study.

For those that left New Zealand, around 8 to 10 percent came back to New Zealand each year within the first three years after leaving New Zealand, with return rates reducing to five percent after four years away and four percent in the fifth. In total, around 36 percent of total domestic graduates who left New Zealand had returned within five years and 47 percent had after 10 years.

Domestic doctoral graduates are less likely to leave New Zealand than they were 20 years ago. The proportion departing within a year of graduation has decreased from 25 percent for 2005 graduates to 17 percent for 2023 graduates. Departure rates naturally dropped significantly during the COVID pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 but have increased since then and have now returned to pre-COVID levels.

How many international doctoral graduates stay in New Zealand?

While most international doctoral graduates will return to their home country after graduation, of interest is the proportion choosing to remain and potentially transition into permanent residence or employment.

Over the last 20 years, the proportion of international doctoral graduates who remained in New Zealand in the year after graduation has increased noticeably from 34 percent for 2005 graduates to 59 percent for 2023 graduates.

Some stay for a few years before returning overseas. The proportion that was still in New Zealand five years after graduation, however, has still increased noticeably over the last 20 years, from 29 percent of 2005 graduates to 42 percent of 2019 graduates. Similarly, the 10-year retention of international graduates has increased from 29 percent in 2005 to 33 percent in 2014. Cumulatively, 35 percent of international graduates had spent the majority of at least one year in New Zealand within the first five years after completing their studies. After 10 years, 29 percent had spent the majority of at least one year in New Zealand. That is, around three in ten international doctoral graduates remain long-term in New Zealand.

Over the last 20 years New Zealand has gained more international doctorate graduates staying on in New Zealand than domestic doctoral graduates it has lost overseas. Based on current numbers of domestic and international doctoral graduates (around 800 for each in 2024) and assuming estimated long-term departure rates of two in ten domestic graduates and estimated long-term stay rates of three in ten international graduates, New Zealand might expect to gain around 80 or so more doctoral graduates a year than it loses. In fact, in recent years, it has been higher than this.

Where do doctoral graduates work?

Employment rates for international doctoral graduates are a little lower than those for domestic graduates and the types of areas they work in are also quite distinct. Around 88 percent of those 2022 domestic graduates who had remained in New Zealand were employed one year after graduation (in 2023), compared to 81 percent for international graduates. In 2023, domestic graduates were more likely to be in leadership and specialist roles, with 76 percent employed in managerial or professional positions—compared to 67 percent for international graduates. A larger share of domestic graduates worked in the education and training sector, compared to international graduates (42 percent compared to 30 percent). International graduates were more represented in the professional, scientific, and technical sector, with 19 percent employed there compared to 13 percent for domestic graduates.