TIE

Interesting statistics coming out of Immigration NZ show that the number of brits applying for residence in NZ is down by more than a quarter over the last two years, from 15,000 people a year to around 11,000 (annualised as of March for 2007/08).

At the same time applications from around the world to live NZ are steady and are on the up from China, India & South Africa.

A copy of the analysis is shown here: Is NZ losing its appeal for Brits?


Any ideas as to why? Is the job requirement to get the points too hard? Relative exchange rates/cost of housing/ cost of living making NZ less attractive? How about other places? Other destinations more attractive? The brave new UK isn’t that bad after all?

whitesand

Yes, that appears to be right. The exchange rate does not make is viable for anyone to transfer their money across at the moment and there's no sign that things will improve in the near future. Also, the cost of living and the cost of houses is far too high in relation to the salaries.

All in all, NZ doesn't appear so attractive now. And, you can't have a great lifestyle without the money to pay the bills.

brussels_sprout

I agree with all of what you have said, but if you have no mortgage, or on a good pension or a millionaire, NZ is still heaven on earth ! It is only the rest of us who it has lost it's appeal for !

And China ? The chinese government could take over NZ democracy with just the population of a single small Chinese city's worth of people, be careful NZ ! China MUST never be trusted

wilekit

Yes it is, its just that nobody can sell their house! We're all desperate to come, we just can't get rid of the D**!!m things!!

bourbon-biscuit

I imagine it is losing it's appeal at the moment with housing costs so high and an unfavourable exchange rate (never looked so good for the Kiwi OEer though!). If the housing market does do the dip predicted and the exchange rate changes then it'll regain it's appeal.

When we were here nearly 7 years ago 50K UKP bought a nice house outright but it's a totally different picture now.

Robbo25

When you have the hordes that turn up to the NZ Expo's and Q for hours, then I would say there is still a lot of appeal.

IMHO the biggest issue is all the employers screaming about how hard it is to get people and then give you such a hard time to find work unless you are already living there, this may well put a lot of people off.

danny.f

Dunno,but it's fantastic news. Selfishly,don't want to share it with anyone!!
Shhhhh, keep it quiet,but everyone saying it's shite,it's all a ploy!!

southerner

I think its Genesis's fault.
He cunningly keeps giving the doomsayers a grandstand to preach all the things wrong with NZ - thus reducing immigration and keeping this paradise for ourselves.

Sorry, did I say paradise? I meant s**thole!

Genesis

Damn! I thought said ploy would escape under the radar!!!

I have no worries about Palmy getting overcrowded..no one wants to come here...even for the day!!

pascalr

Those thinking of coming here need to look at why employers are 'screaming' out for people and are unable to retain staff???

littleal

I have to travel to Palmy regularly for work. I don't think I'd want to live there but I think John Cleese was a bit harsh. I've been to far worse places.

Alison

Bo-Jangles

Immigration numbers have always been cyclical with shifts in who and how many come and from where. There's a timeline in Te Papa, a huge graphic on the wall showing the peaks and troughs, depicted up against some significant events that were happening around the world. It's quite fascinating to see the numbers of people who have been and gone.

In the earlier 1990s many more asians came here (and made average Mr & Mrs Kiwi grumpy) and Brit numbers declined. Early 2000's when we arrived the POMS were starting to come back in more significant numbers and it was noticed. We had so many comments along the line's of 'Oh good! You're English, blah blah, it's great to see more of youse coming here again.'

Whilst NZ interest rates remain as high as they are, I don't think many will be wanting to jump from the frying pan to the fire. Many people simply can't make the numbers stack up and will seek other places that are more easily doable and offer better value for money.

Genesis

We came here in April 2005, only got 2.64 for the life savings..house prices had roared up from late 1990's to what they were in the year 2005...however we still thought it was 'doable'. Very doable from my workings out.

I wonder how many who came over a few years previously when the $ was way weaker and house prices were way less thought ' begger me, the Genesis family must be mad moving April 2005'?

We are all in different times of our lives..I agree our move was madness compared to someone a few years back who had the weak dollar and reasonable house prices. Like when's the best time to have kids...when is the best time to emigrate?????????? Some cynics will say never to both!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bo-Jangles

You've been here a similar amount of time as me, so I bet that when you were first planning and considering the move rates were $2.80 ish or nearer the $3 to the pound mark and were gutted to 'only' get $2.64. If you were considering swapping your worldy worth at current rates in the $2.40s, you would not have found it quite so appealing.

Genesis

I actually did not start looking until I knew that we could go..which was about March 2005. The rates are all relative to your point in time. I could have got seriously more money a few years previously but was not at that juncture ready to move. I guess knowing you are on the cusp of the $'s strongest time is not good....it has never gone as low as $2.4 in the last 10 years but its heading that way. They reckon there could be a housing correction up to 30% here in NZ. When we are there with a new, more proactive administration and better interest rates Nz will figure well once more in 'places I wanna move to'


For sure right now all said and done it does not look the best place to come..but where is??