There's a big worry at the number of skilled New Zealanders flowing out of the country.

Latest figures from Stats NZ show more than 130,000 people left in the year to April - the highest on record.

A record 81,200 New Zealand citizens made up majority of the departures.

Massey University Sociologist Paul Spoonley says we're losing a lot of talented people - mainly young, recently graduated Kiwis.

"Right across the board: teachers, all our professionals are being recruited because they're actually good - and they're being recruited for other countries, particularly Australia."

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