UK Visa Changes Could Bring Skilled Kiwis Home

9 February 2005

UK Visa Changes Could Bring Skilled Kiwis Home Sooner

Many of the highly skilled Kiwis New Zealand needs back in this country could come home sooner as a result of more changes in the UK working holiday visa requirements, says Bernie Kelly, Managing Director of New Zealand recruitment company, Global Career Link.

"We hope it will be good for the market here," he said. "The working holiday visa rules were loosened a couple of years ago to allow longer periods working in one's chosen occupation or profession. So we were looking at skilled young New Zealanders staying in the UK for a three/ five year cycle, rather than the one to two year leave/return cycle that is now likely," said Mr Kelly. "That has got to be good for the large number of businesses in New Zealand that are really struggling to fill positions.

"These young people represent valuable intellectual capital and while some of them may feel a little aggrieved right now, we also know that New Zealand's job market is a lot more exciting than many of them realise," he said.

"That said, for those who are intending to go to the UK for a lengthy period, there is still the highly skilled migrants visa available to individuals enabling a permanent stay. In addition the UK market is extremely buoyant with frequent opportunities to be sponsored by employers or switch to work permit employment, enabling them to stay for longer periods anyway," said Mr Kelly.

Thousands of Kiwis who already have visas under the old regulations will not be affected.

www.globalcareerlink.com.com

Global Career Link is an international consultancy that specialises in the placement of professionals in New Zealand and overseas.

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