Until a policy change in 1987, preference was given to English-speaking migrants, especially those from Commonwealth of Nations countries.

In 1991, a new policy took effect in which potential migrants were ranked according to a points system based on factors such as education, occupation, and wealth.

[12][13] The desire to offer children a lower-pressure educational experience in an English-speaking country, as well as a cleaner environment, is a major motivation for Korean migration to New Zealand.

[6] Of the 7,696 Koreans pursuing secondary or tertiary education in New Zealand as of 2001, 50% were studying English as a second language.

[12] 1.5 generation Koreans who migrated at a young age show a marked shift towards English regardless of which region their parents settled in, but among those who migrated at the age of 16 or older, Wellington residents also showed a much stronger preference for English, while those in other regions maintained Korean as their preferred language.

[7] Korean New Zealanders maintain close contact with their homeland through return trips or with technologies such as phones and emails; one 1998 survey showed that 61% of overseas trips undertaken by Korean New Zealanders had South Korea as their destination.

[16] 70% of Koreans in New Zealand identify as Christians, while roughly another 20% claim to follow no religion.

New Zealand's Korean Christians are served by a weekly Christian newspaper published in the Korean language, which claims to have a circulation of 3,500; it discusses religious issues as well as issues of common interest to immigrants, such as migration law and property ownership.