Headnote: Why do some people self-select migration while so many others stay? In a sample of 205 adults born and currently living in New Zealand, 38.5% were planning to move abroad. Using logistical regression techniques, it was found that higher persistence, openness to experience as well as previous experience living internationally all increased the chances that a participant was planning to move abroad. Higher agreeableness and conscientiousness lowered the odds of a move. Men who were lower in emotional stability were more likely to want to leave, but the same effect was not found for women.