New Zealand inundated with inquiries from the UK as Brits look to emigrate post-Brexit

NEW Zealand’s immigration agency has been inundated with inquiries from the UK as Brits look to emigrate post-Brexit.

Its deputy chief executive said interest rose tenfold on the day we voted to leave Europe, leading media over there to declare a “British invasion” had begun.

Nigel Bickle revealed that the typical number of British nationals who register an interest in moving to, working or investing in New Zealand is about 3,000 a month.

But in the 49 days since the historic vote for Brexit that jumped to more than 10,000, compared with 4,500 for the same period last year.

A university professor in New Zealand said he wasn’t surprised by the spike, and predicted a similar situation if Donald Trump become US president.

Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, Paul Spoonley from Massey University said: "We saw it during the Bush years from Americans, and I think over the next three to five years, you're going to see a significant increase in the numbers of migrants coming from both Britain and the USA."

He said middle-class professionals wanting a different lifestyle would be attracted to the country, which although being similar in size, had just a fraction of the population of the UK.

"Brexit is the push factor and it confirmed the exclusive or narrow nationalism of the UK, of some at least," the professor added.

"We'd be getting people from the UK who are tired of a narrow-minded Britain and who want to experience something quite different.

"New Zealand is very different, it is multicultural, very tolerant and it's got a good lifestyle and a more temperate climate."

Although Britain used to be the main source of immigrants to New Zealand, it has been overtaken by China.

Last month 272 applications for residence from UK citizens were accepted, and 566 Chinese applications, with Professor Spoonley saying he doesn’t think many of the Brits who have registered an interest will end up moving.