Canada - how immigration policy changes under successive governments

Recent changes to Canadian citizenship laws show what a hot potato immigration issues have become. The European refugee crises seems to have shifted voters in western countries to polarisingly opposite positions - almost mirroring the socialist versus capitalist narrative that so often defines and dominates political debates.

While many citizens likely fall somewhere in between the opposing camps, those at the polar ends either see immigration as a self seeking policy tool - to encourage skills and cheap labour but protect the existing workforce - or as a tool of social justice - to be a haven and a beacon of hope for the disenfranchised and destitute.

immigration is seen either as a self seeking policy tool or as a tool of social justice

The sweeping and speedy reforms in Canadian policy are on the back of the current party making good on specific election campaign promises and show how the issue played a major role in the pysche of voters and therefore the political landscape.

It is as if citizens want the immigration and citizenship policy to reflect the heart and soul of the nation - much like a home with either a welcome mat in front of the door or a beware of the dog sign at the gate. As if the invitation you extend will define who you are as a people and how you react to international crises will mould you as a society into what values you want your children to stand for and fight for and pass on to their children.

It is as if citizens want the immigration and citizenship policy to reflect the heart and soul of the nation - much like a home with either a welcome mat in front of the door or a beware of the dog sign at the gate

Let's be honest, we all know anecdotal stories of border control staff that say so much about a country and before we even set foot within the place we often have a pre-conceived notion of what the residents will be like. Why? Because the border control staff are employed by the government to represent to outsiders what their policy represents. You are welcome here or beware of the dog. 

As I've said before, immigration policy is primarily designed for the benefit of the host nation and any benefit a new migrant receives is incidental to that primary purpose. The current Canadian government is shifting that somewhat and creating an image of an administration that is thinking outside of itself and beyond purely selfish gains to one where it selflessly wants to share some of its highly held val

ues with those who may not have more to give right now.

Some will view this as altruistic nobleness and others as a soft touch with likely damaging effects - either way the effects will be felt into the next generation for citizens and migrants alike. 

House prices in Auckland

Much is made in the media of the expensive housing costs in Auckland and some other parts of New Zealand which usually mirror many of the same stories in Australian media about Sydney and other large cities like Melbourne. This is a concern to many new migrants who travel across without bringing much capital to try buy property early on and many find themselves, along with locals, in a rental trap where rentals are so expensive they cannot save for the 20% deposit the Reserve Bank recently imposed for some crazy reason. 

This is sadly a common trend worldwide as can be viewed on this handy map of house prices to annual earnings index where you can see it is not limited to Auckland.  Having said this, I have two young married kids who have, in the last 2 years, managed to enter the Auckland housing market in a lovely area on the North Shore of Auckland. Prices in their area were a little below average due to a bit longer travel time in peak hour traffic but they work on the North Shore so have no issue. They are both within a 3 minute drive to a stunning beach and love the area.  

One good aspect about New Zealand is that salaries in some of the bigger cities outside Auckland are similar or only slightly below the Auckland ones whereas house prices can be significantly below Auckland. It is surprising that more businesses and migrants have not found their way outside of Auckland. Seek and Trade Me is a good web site to check for salaries in different fields and areas and Trade Me is also excellent for checking rentals and selling prices of houses. 

Australia media seems to be a bit more open about what all New Zealanders are talking about privately, namely allowing New Zealand to sell property unrestricted to foreigners who often have no intention of living here. Currently it is the Chinese who seem to be taking advantage of this and becoming major landlords. Interestingly, I doubt foreigners are as welcome in China to buy and own land and propertybut that seems to be conveniently dismissed by politicians and the press. For so long the kiwi mindset of a good life is the car, house, bach (beachside cottage) and boat. Owning one's own home and a rental or two has been a major part of the average kiwi pysche of a good retirement, so it is baffling that the powers that be have never moved to ensure that land and property remains largely in the hands of citizens and genuine permanent residents. In fact, the Reserve Bank of NZ (RBNZ) has increased the deposit required to 20% which makes it even more difficult for first time home buyers. Yet foreigners waltz in with cash from who knows where (lower offshore borrowings?) and buy up local property.

Another shift happening in Auckland is the unified Council which is essentially a redistribution of rates and taxes from affluent suburbs to very low docile areas. For many years New Zealand has managed to avoid major class distinction in property and hid council (NZ Housing) houses within normal middle class suburbs. The housing bubble has turned that strategy on its head with NZH houses now worth so much in areas that have grown in affluence that NZH cannot afford not to grab the cash on offer of the market prices it can achieve by offloading them. So along comes the poorer suburbs. The point is that property rates in those affluent areas have risen dramatically with no real added services to show for it. Again, the press makes a huge deal of this as though property owners will suffer except that landlords simply add the costs to rentals and up goes the rental market returns while rent locked tenants become more cash strapped.

If one wonders why more businesses and employees don't move out of Auckland, the answer lies in a very poor roading and rail infrastructure that has not kept pace with immigration and tourism growth, so that a trip that would take and hour and a half in other countries would likely take twice as long in NZ.  

New Zealand has also avoided capital gains taxes although it has recenty introduced a watered down version with rules that will tax investment properties if sold within a certain time frame. While I am not in favour of additional taxes, the result of this lack of CGT has been that there is more incentive for kiwis to leverage any equity in their existing property and buy more property than to invest in the stock market. This means that a limited stock of housing gets even less for new entrants who have no equity and their dream of home ownership floats even further away. In most countries a healthy stock market is vital to the economy encouraging industry and business and admittedly NZ has a very limited industrial / manufacturing sector so most of new equity investment will likely head off to Australia anwyay as has probably happened with KiwiSaver investment funds. The question remains though is that if investment rules and taxes favour houses, why open up this major source of retirement fund strategy to foreigners and drive prices up?


NZ authorities have also had a terrible record of controlling the quality of houses and the standard of builders. Houses are notoriously damp and cold and energy inefficient in a cold climate country. In an overly regulated country where homeowners are controlled and need plans for car ports and decks, the same authorities were unable to hold themselves or the building industry to account for a leaky home blight where houses were built but basically need to be rebuilt or demolished due to soggy materials. This was the result, so I'm told, of both a change in treatment of timber allowed in houses as well as to the structural design. Many, many people have lost fortunes but nobody was deemed to blame which is a strange outcome in a country obsessed with blaming. So as a double whammy kick-in-the-teeth to those who followed the crowd and invested in property believing all the crazy regulation was for their protection, they have been told to suck up the losses and lose their investment while the same authorities make it nice and easy for foreigners to coast in with wads of cash and drive prices up. 

Stunning Coromandel Loop just outside Auckland

The worst of winter seems to have passed and the Auckland skies are clearer for longer patches now, which is great news for me, a fair weather biker. On Saturday I went for ride through the beautiful Waitakeres with my wife and on Monday I managed to get out on my bike for an amazing run to the Coromandel Peninsula Loop which I must confess is aboslutley overwhelming in its beauty. Having scoured the internet for great motorcycle rides, I have seen very little to rival what I experienced.

Here's my biker blog on the recent biking events in and around Auckland which, if you take the time to read, I hope will convey a sense of the beauty that is so close by to enjoy in and around Auckland and the North and South Islands . Of course there are equally bicycle rides, hiking (or as kiwi's say "tramping") trails and other great outdoor pursuit opportunities but my passion is motorcycles so this is just my angle.

On a map New Zealand is a small geographical place on the globe but there remains a sense of vastness and granduer that I imagine is becoming harder to find these days and even more difficult to access and enjoy in relative safety. 

New Zealand ranks for solo travellers

New Zealand ranks for Solo Travellers according to this news article...

Editors at Travel + Leisure magazine have given New Zealand the title of best country for solo, independent travellers.

The magazine says it's where adventure seekers can trek glaciers and rainforests, bungee jump and jet boat and meet some of the "friendliest and most open-minded people in the world."

While a country's safety and security may be easy to evaluate, editors say they wanted to consider other factors that are important to solo travellers.

For instance, "…is the country you've chosen a happy place?"

"Is it a country where you'll be made to feel welcome, a nation where you can easily interact with the locals, where conversation flows easily even if you're struggling with a new language? For truly rewarding solo travel, it's crucial that you can connect with the culture and not feel like an outsider."

For that, editors say they consulted the Happy Planet Index which looks at environmental impact and human well-being in 151 countries.

For safety, editors consulted the Global Peace Index.

Top 10 countries for solo travellers according to Travel + Leisure

1. New Zealand
2. Norway
3. Switzerland
4. Costa Rica
5. Austria
6. Vietnam
7. Chile
8. Tie: Japan and Sweden
9. Indonesia
10. Germany

Queenstown- worth the trip!

Many travel and expat forums will tell the entrepid traveller that if they visit only one place in New Zealand, make sure it's Queenstown.  

There is so much material on the internet - tourism,  activity marketing and personal travel stories - that it would be like throwing a match on a bonfire to make an inadequate attempt to add to the mass of excellent material available. There are also so many pictures of the unbelievably endless majestic beauty that surrounds the whole area and which will simply engulf any visitor. 

What I can say is that from personal experience,  it is an absolute "must do" on anyone's travel agenda -  for both tourists and kiwis alike.  It has a magical air and at once conjures up a sense of being in the company of the great travel destinations such as Zurich,  Vancouver or the Alps but likewise a surreal sense of being on an epic movie set. 


I am here at the end of winter and the snow still blankets the ski fields and,  while I love the experience of snow, soft drizzle and misty mountains, my senses are attuned to imagine this beauty in dryer weather that can be enjoyed and consumed on my motorbike with my wife and other close riding buddies. The roads snaking through mountains and valleys beside rivers and lakes seems a dream for any biker and I'm planning to make this the pinnacle point of a South Island trip which is fast becoming more exciting to me than most other holiday options. Apart from the surrounding scenic options,  Queenstown city itself is pretty with all the quaint picturesque options that make this a premier holiday spot. 

Many kiwis say  Queenstown is too expensive and has become a playground only the wealthy can afford and would sooner head off from Auckland International Airport to  the Gold Coast in Australia,  Thailand,  Fiji or one of the many other foreign destinations available through travel packages offered so cheaply. I'm guessing that with so many foreigners flooding Queenstown the locals don't mind that kiwis feel that way. 

We've had $10 all day breakfast special offers with $2.50 coffee in Arrowtown and a $15 all day steak special in central Queenstown.  Yes, every adventure activity is pretty costly but then I'm easy to please.  I'm quite happy driving around and admiring the scenes and sites. Call me old but I just don't need my thrills arranged for me as I would being a foreign visitor.  I get my adrenalin fix from opening the throttle on my Hayabusa - and it's why I can't wait to be here on my "baby" combining my passion for riding and soaking in the most amazing scenery on offer which arguably would rank as some of the finest rugged,  unspoilt available anywhere today. 

Immigration Issues in NZ Elections 2014

An interesting NZ Herald story of Chinese candidates telling Chinese migrants told to vote if they consider NZ home . It notes that many of the 200,000 Chinese migrants from Communist China do not necessarily understand the democratic process and therefore may not prioritise voting or recognise it's relevance and importance.

As a migrant myself I found it quirky that along with Citizens, Residents can also vote, as per this INZ website advising who can vote . Given that Immigration Policy is such an emotive and often explosive topic, it still seems strange to me that Residents can have a say in a governement whose policy may be directed to affect them before they become citizens as in NZ First Winston Peter's stance on Immigration. It seems somewhat counter-intuitive to me but perhaps it is common in other countries.

As with any Immigration political policy debate, New Zealand has some rather specific topical areas of national interest around very current and recent issues. There have been recent enquiries into the extent of politician involvement in the immigration process of certain influental migrants Kim Dotcom MegaUpload Immigration and there are issues of housing prices skyrocketing, particularly in Auckland as noted in this article Immigrant effect on land prices and then there is the ongoing debate on foreign ownership of strategic or farming landsand whether NZ is too lenient with foreign ownership?

All this to say that Immigration policy is designed with Citizens in mind and migrants, while made to feel as welcome as possible, really are a part of the process only to the extent that it serves the interests of the host country. Of course, most immigrants to New Zealand have every intention of a long term settlement vision so in a strange way the "national" interest they may feel somewhat removed from now really is the one that will hopefully protect their status as future citizens for them and their families.

Interesting NZ Migration updates from OECD report

I was at a seminar hosted by Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand recently about the NZ economic outlook and a speaker used some interesting migrant statistics from recent OECD reports to support some of his assumptions on the economy, so I did some reading here at OECD info on NZ Migration and see some positive facts, such as "Relative to its population, NZ has the largest temporary labour migration flows in the OECD, which provides the feeder for permanent migration.."  

In fact this is the opening comment on the web page says "The report finds that by and large, the New Zealand labour migration system is functioning well. Several features of the NZ immigration system, such as the Expression of Interest system, are gradually about to become an example for selection systems elsewhere in the OECD. This also holds true for the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, which provides a good example of a managed seasonal labour scheme. A further innovative feature is NZ’s elaborate system of labour-market tests and exemptions, which aims at limiting negative impact on the domestic workforce while at the same time responding to employer needs.."    

So I suppose articles reporting the growth in net migrant inflows, such as this one highest gain in 10 years from earlier in the year, are not surprising, along with this website post from Immigration NZ Skilled Migrant Workers Still Needed. 

As a Licensed Immigration Adviser I'm hoping to help prospective migrants into New Zealand to benefit both them, and this wonderful place I have called home since 2003. This is not just a dream, but a reality for many who long to start a new life in a country that has great employment prospects relative to many countries of origin. 

According to an  IAA survey  conducted by the Immigration Adviser Authority, "Almost 90 per cent of migrants surveyed said they would recommend their licensed immigration adviser to family and friends, results of an independent survey show".

Auckland autumn

The orange leaves shout that it's autumn in Auckland but I am on one of Auckland and New Zealand's many golf courses and the late afternoon is still. I return home after the game and jump on my motorbike with my wife on hers and we meet friends and all ride through to Ponsonby "international" food court for one of the numerous inexpensive Asian dishes on offer. 

After dinner we ride from the vibrant night life of Ponsonby in a convoy of four motorbikes through the pretty suburbs of Auckland into the upmarket beach suburb of Mission Bay where we have Danish ice cream and coffee before heading home along the waterfront road to the Harbour bridge that leads us back to the North Shore of Auckland where our little Saturday night jaunt began.

Every weekend for weeks now we have gotten out on our bikes because "pretty soon now the weather will change".  And every week we are blessed with yet another weekend of stunning weather.

Well,  the rain will set in and newcomers and visitors will swear that Auckland is a wet city.  And they will be correct,  it is indeed.  But life goes on,  including outdoor activities.  And in the midst of winter I have no doubt we will wake up to moments of clear, crisp skies and text our fellow bikers to meet for a spontaneous rides and golf games.  And then one day the clouds will part and more glorious sunny days will be beckoning us bikers to rediscover the breathtaking scenic routes that are Auckland in all her splendour.

NZ ranks 5th on Index of Economic Freedom

http://www.heritage.org/index/country/newzealand

This is a great result on an impartial ranking scoreboard that bodes well for investors and working class immigrants alike who have chosen, or are considering, making New Zealand home. Having lived in NZ now for 10 years it is easy to become used to many of these facets of economic life as routine so this ranking is a good reminder that these criteria are not enjoyed equally across the globe. An important aspect of society in NZ is, of course, welcoming new migrants into this environment which may be vastly different from their country of origin. One would assume that it is these very differences that will have attracted them to choose NZ as their migration destination and that they will arrive respecting and valuing same. It is good to feel that there is a sense of rule of law and that society would be intolerant of certain economic and business behaviours. This allows people to get on with their goal of being productive and reaping the benefits of their labour without having to second guess the outcome.

"New Zealand’s economic freedom score is 81.2, making its economy the 5th freest in the 2014 Index. New Zealand was first graded in the 1996 Index, and its economic freedom score has advanced since then by over 3 points. Improvements in seven of the 10 economic freedoms, including business freedom, investment freedom, trade freedom, and fiscal freedom, have enabled New Zealand to move from “mostly free” almost 20 years ago to “free” today. Since 2007, New Zealand has been rated one of the world’s five freest economies.New Zealand’s modern and competitive economy benefits from a strong commitment to open-market policies that facilitate engagement in global commerce. Transparent and efficient regulations are applied evenly in most cases, encouraging dynamic private-sector entrepreneurial activity. Buttressed by a strong tradition of minimum tolerance for corruption, New Zealand’s vigorous defense of effective rule of law sustains the foundations of economic freedom and contributes to the high level of lasting prosperity."

Find a need or a dream to meet. The sale pays the salary.

I recently popped into a motorcycle shop to drool over bikes.  Two men were sitting behind desks. There were no other customers. One looked up - barely - and asked "you good  mate?"  then carried on doing whatever he was paid to do. It certainly wasn't to try sell me anything. They had failed to realise the value of the fact I had walked through their shop door.. I wasn't asking to be sold a bike...  I was asking to be sold a dream...  And getting me in the door was half (maybe more)  their job done.  I spent 20 minutes drooling and neither of them got up.  I had bought a bike for my wife a month earlier.  I didn't intend to,  but a real salesman took the time to harness my already evident passion and off I rode,  living the dream. I have since returned to that same bike shop 2 hours away after visiting several others closer to home with dismal salespeople. When I walked in we carried on where we left off and he has already arranged demo models for me to test ride. Can I afford another bike?  Not on your life!  But I probably will own another one soon because someone is taking the time to stoke my passion and match it to a dream.  

I remain baffled at the lack of basic sales - or dare I say PEOPLE -  skills that seem to be evident in staff on retail shop floors. There is no other source of income apart from a sale and there is no sale without a customer and there is no customer interaction until a customer has visited a store (virtual or real).  Getting the customer is the hard part - the hard earned advertising dollars spent or the high floor space rentals to get feet in the door. 

Surely once those feet are in the door they are valued? 

The fact that the customer is in the store and is not engaged is a shame. One wonders what the advertising and marketing dollars it takes to get them there is,  but I can only imagine what it has cost in goodwill and brand degradation when a customer leaves unattended to.  No word of mouth recognition; no customer loyalty; negative brand connotations- now working against all future advertising dollars spent. 

All as a result of simply not understanding the value of a potential customer - the one who pays the salary.

Farewell Madiba

Blessed are the peacemakers... The end of a defining era led by a man of conviction who was honoured the world over by rich and poor alike. May those who follow honour his great legacy and build on a great foundation carved out patience and longsuffering. A giant, who transcended racial divide and ideology as he stood for principles that were more than simply politics. He lived out his ideals and created a future many have benefited from and hopefully many still will. He was both an idealist and a pragmatist and an example to all of the power of forgiveness and the strength to be gained by creating unity behind a common vision.

Summer in Beautiful Auckland

I have said it before, that coming from a city as stunning as Cape Town, I would have had serious settlement issues had I emigrated to a city and environment of lesser natural beauty than what I had grown accustomed to. I visited Cape Town last December and absolutely loved it. It is, and will always be, a place I feel home - not just because there are beloved family who reside there but also because it is a part of who I am. Now, almost a year later, I am enjoying the same festive build up here in Auckland. I have hopped on my newly acquired motorbike and taken in sights, sounds and smells that are overwhelming in their beauty. The hot days are here now and although interspersed with cooler days, it is a glorious time of the year in an absolutely stunning environment waiting to be enjoyed. Today I travelled north just a an hour and a bit and enjoyed this amazing view from a mountain road just passed quaint Matakana. I came home and a few hours later was on beautiful Long Bay beach with my grand kids just 2 minutes drive from my home. I am not a well travelled person but I cannot imagine that there are many places in the world with such amazing beauty so accessible and within such easy reach. I am sure there are more vibrant cities and I am sure that there are more active cities but in terms of easy enjoyment of one's surrounds I cannot imagine that there can be many places to rival Auckland in summer.  

The end of an Auckland work week

Earlier this week I posted a picture of the scenic Waiaki Beach at the start of my week. This is picture of the end of my work week taken on a Friday afternoon at the Viaduct, a trendy and vibey part of Auckland.

Here you will see not only friends and work colleagues catching up around a meal and a drink, but families out strolling or the more serious runners, along the promenade enjoying the beautiful weather at the start of Spring. Lined with cool restaurants, ice cream and coffee shops around a working harbour, it looks out over beautiful scenery across the harbour.

It is moments like this that remind me of what Auckland has to offer -  not just a pretty city but a great lifestyle environment.

Springtime in Auckland New Zealand

Much gets said about Auckland's weather. Here is a glorious,  not infrequent, Spring morning on my way to work at 8.30 am at Waiaki Beach near Browns Bay. I was born and raised in the stunning Cape Town so I am so blessed that the city I migrated to 10 years ago has this to enjoy 5 minutes from home.

Springtime in Auckland

Auckland weather, Auckland, New Zealand weather, New Zealand Waiaki Beach, Browns Bay Auckland, great cities

Increase in apprentices expected after changes enacted...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11131195

This is an interesting article about about changes the government has made to the apprenticeship regime with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of the scheme by rooting out some of the existing inefficiencies that have been identified, It is anticipated that new apprenticeship enrolments will rise considerably in the near future.

I am encouraged by this focus on the vital training industry and heartened by any effort to increase the effectiveness in sectors that are so key to the economic well being of New Zealand. Many of these skilled tradespeople will eventually head offshore for better opportunities but, in my view, as long as they are accepted overseas it indicates that local training standards are still world class, Some will return with that overseas experience in the future,

Those who remain will be the backbone of such initiatives as the Christchurch Rebuild, the Auckland infrastructure plans and the continuing Auckland housing demand. 

Until the numbers trained reach capacity, there remains a strong demand for these skills to be imported and it seems this is a good time to be investigating available opportunities for those who already have the requisite training and experience.

America's Cup - why Aucklanders are at the edge of their seats

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11125132

This is an interesting article about the impact the the NZ boat building industry has on the NZ economy and speaks of a planned uplift in contribution from NZD 850 million to NZD 1.3 billion. Winning the America's cup means New Zealand can choose the next venue which is expected to be Auckland which will put Auckland in the sights of those who are passionate about this sport professionally or for pleasure. Along with that interest comes the big spenders; people who have money to burn on a passion and who are not affected by the economic climate.

New Zealanders therefore wait with bated breath at the outcome of an exciting series and many will reminisce about the last time Auckland hosted the event and the sense of excitement and buzz that permeated the city and, indeed, the nation.

New Zealand is a small country but prides itself on its rankings in this event as it does in the rowing events. Perhaps it is because it is surrounded by water that psychologically it feels it is important to perform on this stage.

What I find hugely exciting for the nation is the immense opportunities the ship building industry presents to those skilled in the aligned trades that are here now, and those who are looking to make New Zealand a migrant destination. These are big numbers for any country, let alone a smaller economy such as New Zealand's and bodes well for the nation.

New Zealanders amongst the happiest in the world

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11123810

I am weary of lists that compare places using scales that could be perceived as subjective or arbitrary,  but having lived in New Zealand for 10 years  I can relate to the idea that living in certain countries would contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing when compared to living in other places.

My own definition of being blessed is having options as opposed to simply being deprived of options. Most of us have to work to survive so it seems intuitively logical that those who have choices of job opportunities are likely to be happier than those with limited job options. Likewise having money at the supermarket or mall and the liberty to choose from several brands generally seems to me will make us happier than remembering the days we possibly had very little money and had to simply buy what we could afford.

Of course learning contentment is a great lesson in itself but it is human nature to aspire to more.

And let's not limit options to money.  The freedom to walk safely on a beach or park with one's family would greatly contribute to one's overall happiness as opposed to having very few unspoilt public spaces to enjoy safely.

So I can say in all truthfulness that I do indeed feel "happy" in Auckland,  New Zealand. Would I feel less happy somewhere else?  Not necessarily.  Other things make me happy regardless of where I am located, such as family and friends, and I could experience this anywhere.  But enjoying them while also enjoying the fact that they are enjoying a great environment with me adds to my happiness.

I am sure many other places would provide what we enjoy here,  but I can only speak for what I have experienced and say that I wholeheartedly agree.

Glitch computer means more Silver Fern Job Search visas issued than quota

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/9132258/Immigration-bungle-blamed-on-computers

An interesting article about 420 Silver Fern Job Search visas being issued being 120 more than the quota of 300 intended.

While the article notes that the Immigration New Zealand systems are now coming under fire, what is of interest to me is the continued high demand for New Zealand work visas.

This bodes well for potential migrants as well as the NZ economy as it indicates NZ is still a desirable migrant destination but also hopefully that there must be some level of buoyancy to sustain those who arrive in search of work. Certainly most young people I know are employed presently and anecdotally at least there seems to be jobs available for those who want gainful employment.

While many of these jobs, and certainly this particular class of work visa, may be more short term in nature and not necessarily provide long term career options, it still is pleasing that work is available, given the global picture we all find ourselves in. These opportunities also allow potential migrants eyeing long term opportunities a chance to live and work in New Zealand and assess their options while weighing up whether New Zealand meets their expectations.


  

Skilled UK migrants itching to come to NZ to rebuild Christchurch...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/before-you-go/10280864/Immigration-promo-gets-Brits-itching-to-move-to-NZ.html

This article tells an exciting story of a promotional webcast that attracted huge interest from skilled potential migrants in the UK eager to come to NZ to fill a dire need for skills in Christchurch to boost plans to rebuild the city.

New Zealand has a long and proud historic association with the United Kingdom and it great to see these ties revitalised once again as New Zealand has always valued the skills from UK in building the NZ economy. No doubt many in the UK would be relieved to hear that their skills are sought after as they are possibly victims of the economic downturn that has affected Europe and the rest of the world.

This is good news for Christchurch too, a beautiful city struck by a tragic event with a double tragedy of taking so long to rebuild, leaving many families dealing not only with the event itself but with a long and drawn out hangover that stills lingers as a reminder.

A short piece such as this does not allow for any in depth commentary on why it is taking so long to rebuild but despite the complexities I am sure that everyone would like to see the city and the lives rebuilt without delay.

This is also good news for skilled tradesmen and professionals with required skill sets to do a little investigating for themselves and to assess whether this could be the right time to make that big move. You would find a welcoming city and nation for yourselves, your families and your skills.