WELLINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's annual net migration in 2017 numbered 70,000, down from 70,600 in 2016, the country's statistics department Stats NZ said on Friday.

Migrant arrivals were mostly from Australia, which made up about 20 percent, Britain, 12 percent, and China, 10 percent, Stats NZ said, adding that three in every five migrant arrivals from Australia were returning New Zealand citizens.

Annual net migration reached a record high of 72,400 in the July 2017 year, but has slowed since then, population statistics senior manager Peter Dolan said in a statement.

Last year, migrant arrivals were 131,600 and migrant departures were 61,600, Dolan said.

"Most migrants are non-New Zealand citizens," he said, adding that while arrivals of non-New Zealand citizen migrants increased to 99,300 in the past 12 months, there was also an increase in those leaving the country after migrating here in the past.

Migration saw a net gain of 71,100 non-New Zealand citizens and a net loss of 1,000 New Zealand citizens in 2017, statistics show.

Most migrants arrived in New Zealand on work and student visas. Arrivals on work visas rose 11 percent in 2017. The largest increases in work visas were from Britain and the Philippines, according to Stats NZ.