Genesis

Each to their own eh? Some folk genuinely see Brexit as a very bad thing, if only for the rights lost to their children to live and work in the EU without having to jump through a load of hoops as they will have to now. The EU is an awful, unwieldy organisation and needs huge overhauling. But to simply leave it is not a good thing for some people. They are understandably upset.

Charismatic

...and back to New Zealand.

Another record: 71,305 in January.

I expect this will very heavily enter public debate, this being an election year. No one has indicated they believe they can develop infrastructure at a suffient rate.

Charismatic

Prime Minister shows he is really engaged with New Zealand voters by using anecdotal evidence to blame drugs or poor people or young people or Jews or whatever. Just anything you might conceivably buy to deflect criticism.

Bo-Jangles

He read it in the Guardian last year.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-drugs-says-pm

Stuck in Auckland

of the 250,000 how many were children or elderly?

I also don't think a majority of the influx are in position to purchase $1million + property so why is this the go to card for housing issues?

Charismatic

Updated tweaking will enforce minimum income threshold of just over $48k for "skilled" professions and $72k for others: Govt announces skilled migrant median pay requirement to sit alongside qualification and occupation requirements; Proposes tweaks to temporary migration settings and South Island residency path | interest.co.nz

That said I can't imagine that will curb numbers much, how can a "skilled" profession pay median income? Clearly either not "skilled" or not properly paid.

Charismatic

Random sampling suggests more than half of those granted "Skilled" migrant category visas earned less than the median wage: http://www.interest.co.nz/news/87226/immigration-nz-sample-600-live-skilled-migrant-category-applications-march-shows-57-were. Seems to show what many have suggested for a while, the skills visas are far too easy to obtain and are driving down local wages instead of contributing to the economy.

Charismatic

No sign of change yet, another new record: Population gain from migration 15 times higher than 4 years ago in April year, but is the migration gain peaking? | interest.co.nz

BEVS

Not easy at all. The SMC is a points based system and the quals + work exp must match the job offer.

New Zealand itself pegged the lowest 'going rate' at $45K & employers would have followed that lead. Especially NZIS accredited employers & the NZ Dept of Employment monitors and states which skilled occupations are in shortage.

That amount has just been adjusted up to $48+ after many years .

I would agree that skilled migrants are often short changed though. Being fobbed off with not having Kiwi experience and outrageous hoops to go through to simply work in their skilled employment & being paid less than their Kiwi counterpart to boot.

TBH. Does NZ deserve skilled migrants? Perhaps a few years without those migrants and having to rely on locals to fill those gaps might refocus this country.
After all if there is a shortage in your occupation and you have those skills then you can command the wage IF the employer who is in business to make a profit for the company can or will pay.

LoCarb

"New Zealand was now losing residents to the UK, with a net outflow of 79 migrants in the month of April, ASB Bank noted.

"While a very low number, it does reverse the trend of New Zealand gaining UK residents in the wake of last year's shock Brexit decision," it said.


Book early for April holidays - NZ tourism and migration at record high | Stuff.co.nz

Charismatic

Another new record. Interesting to note that national GDP is rising at almost the rate of population growth but falling on a per-capita basis. Productivity weakening.

Dwelling consents are still below the required rate and actually fell in April. One of the things that OECD was that in New Zealand house prices lock people out of better paid employment.

There are some interesting opinions being thrown about that after the election there may be another bump in property prices.

Charismatic

Again we had a new migration record as the surge continues (bit of a theme on this thread isn't there?)

Also government are getting the wobbles on their own immigration policy as many business owners rely on imported labour. Looking at the comments on that Stuff article it looks like most of the contributors are asking why not up-skill the existing workforce local or offer a bit more cash to attract skilled people (I think we've had our fair share of moans on the board about the latter.)

So interestingly we have Labour, NZ First and TOP (if the latter even win a seat ) talking about a more controlled approach (to varying degrees) while National and The Green Party have both U-turned or are in the process of doing so (in the case of the former.)

One thing I am happy about is that, generally speaking, it's been a debate absent of much of the xenophobia and racism one might expect in other countries.

Bo-Jangles

That's an interesting turn of events: Stuff are reporting today that Bill English has confirmed that immigration crackdown will be watered down; as opposed to the article yesterday that only said they may back down.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/pol...ration-changes

Bo-Jangles

Weasel words from the man himself - there's been some pretty direct feedback and there will probably be some adjustment.

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-...after-backlash

LoCarb

Who in their right mind wants to get up at four o'clock in the morning and milk hundreds of cows in the cold for low wages and long hours.

Only people who want an easy route to residency apparently...