AUCKLAND (CU)_New Zealand is set to launch a “once-in-a-generation reset” of the country’s immigration system, as the government hopes to lure wealthy investors, while phase out lower-skilled migrants. Joining a discussion on Radio NZ on Tuesday (18 May), Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern noted that over the last 10 years the temporary workforce in the country had doubled to 200,000, which has had several implications, including the suppression of wages in certain sectors, the rise in cost of living and the increased pressure on infrastructure.
“We’ve long pointed to the fact a growth strategy that is built around your housing market and immigration settings is not a sustainable long-term strategy,” she said. “We’ve seen very recent issues over the past 10 years.”
In the year ending March 2021, New Zealand’s net migration fell to just 6,600, after the Pacific island nation closed its borders in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections. In the same period a year earlier, this number stood at a record 91,900.
Now, the Tourism and Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash noted that New Zealand is seeking to attract highly skilled investors and workers for several innovative projects. “When our borders fully open again, we can’t afford to simply turn on the tap to the previous immigration settings,” he said.
Following continuous adjustments in immigration policies, which have caused years-long delays in application processes, along with border closures that split families amid the pandemic, the recent news comes as yet another blow to migrants who claim that they have been treated unfairly over the past few years. In fact, frustrated migrants have set up the alliance of the Federation of Aotearoa Migrants (FAM), which campaigns for the re-entry of people stuck overseas, and also for residency visas for those who are on temporary work visas.
