Wellington:(IANS) Students from India and China helped to drive a record net gain in migrants to New Zealand in the first half of 2015, the government statistics agency said on Friday.

Annual permanent and long-term migration showed a record net gain — the number of arrivals over departures — of 59,600 migrants till July this year, resulting from 117,100 arrivals and 57,500 departures, Xinhua cited the Statistics New Zealand.

Of the arrivals, 13,800 were from India, with three-quarters having student visas, and 10,400 were from China.

July also set a record with the highest ever monthly net gain in migrants at 5,700, surpassing the previous record of 5,400 set in January this year.

The influx of migrants would put a strain on all public services, including hospitals, and demand for housing, especially in the overheated market of Auckland, the opposition New Zealand First party said.