March 24 2009 - Proposed Changes to NZ Immigration Policy
Source - AmblerCollins
Currently New Zealand loses a disproportionate number of its citizens to those who vote with their feet and choose to live and work in other countries.
According to Statistics New Zealand more than 80,000 New Zealander’s left the country either permanently or for the long term in the past year. That figure is the equivalent of more than 1,500 departures each week. New Zealand needs to recruit circa 2000 per week to produce a small net immigration gain per annum.
In a major effort to retain the Kiwi developed talent and to attract the best workers from overseas, New Zealand’s new National Government, led by Prime Minister John Key, has plans to implement changes to the country’s immigration policy.
They released an Immigration Policy Paper released in September 2008, before the National party claimed power in Parliament, and it stated, “Our policy measures will ensure New Zealand has an efficient, world-class immigration service that employers, potential immigrants, and all New Zealanders have confidence will act with integrity and produce the best outcomes for the widest range of interests in New Zealand”.
Why change?
The National Government believes changes are necessary to attract and retain highly skilled workers and investors to New Zealand. It has revealed three major objectives in its plan:
-
Retain skilled Kiwi workers and attract overseas Kiwis back to New Zealand
-
Better match the skills of immigrants with the employment needs of New Zealand’s
economy
-
Make New Zealand’s immigration services world-class in their efficiency and effectiveness
What will this achieve?
The Government intends to shift the emphasis away from the government itself choosing immigrant skills, to a process that allows employers a greater say in the high-level skills required by foreign workers or returning Kiwis.
As part of the new policy, a Silver Fern Visa is to be introduced to offer highly skilled migrants a better and easier chance of migrating to New Zealand and securing residency. It will allow applicants to go to NZ and take casual employment while they search for a skilled offer of employment. The Silver Fern Visa will help ensure that those who have obtained qualifications in New Zealand or have New Zealand-recognised qualifications have the opportunity to fill skills shortages in the country.
Other targets of the proposed policy changes will also include business immigrants and retired immigrants.
Business immigrants
"New Zealand can benefit significantly from international entrepreneurs bringing their skills, technology, capital, and international networks to our country," says the National Party’s Immigration Policy Paper.
Under the proposed plan, the Government will aim to set more realistic investment capital and English language requirements, require approvals to better match the experience of potential business immigrants with their proposed investment in New Zealand, and focus the success for long-term business visa holders seeking residence on job creation and export earnings.
Retired immigrants
It is believed that New Zealand stands to benefit from individuals of high net worth who seek to retire or spend a significant part of year in the country. The new Government has announced its intention to establish a Retirement visa at no cost to New Zealand taxpayers and to ensure that Retirement Visa holders indemnify New Zealand from any health, welfare or superannuation costs.
If you have further enquires on immigration to the UK, NZ, Australia or the USA,
please contact Ambler Collins and we will undertake a complimentary assessment of your eligibility. Email us at;
info@amblercollins.com
Back to the News section
Back to the Home page
