Employment And Earnings of Migrants in New Zealand

MEDIA ReleaSE

17 may 2012

New Department of Labour Research Looks at Employment And Earnings of Migrants in New Zealand

New Department of Labour research out today looks at the success of migrants in the job market in New Zealand three years after they gain permanent residence.

The Labour Market Integration of Recent Migrants in New Zealand report presents findings from the Longitudinal Immigration Survey: New Zealand (LisNZ) on the settlement experiences of migrants over their first three years after gaining permanent residence in New Zealand.

“The information collected from this research provides a unique insight into how quickly and how well migrants are settling into the New Zealand job market and contributing to the economy,” says Vasantha Krishnan, General Manager, Labour and Immigration Research Centre.

“Migrants’ early experiences in New Zealand have a significant impact on how well they settle and their ability to make a valuable contribution to society.”

The research found that primary applicants from the Skilled and Pacific categories integrated quickly into the New Zealand labour market by finding a job and also actively looking for work. Both categories maintained high labour force participation[1] rates, in excess of 90 percent of total applicants.

Another significant finding from the report showed that although previous New Zealand work experience seemed important initially, over time, it was not a key factor in employment rates for migrants.

The research also found that migrants who spoke English as a main language generally were paid more.

The report looked at immigration approval category, region of origin, and prior New Zealand work experience and how these factors influenced how well migrants were doing in the New Zealand workforce.

The role of age, sex, English language proficiency, qualifications, and family make-up were also examined.

Over 5000 migrants aged 16 and over were selected and interviewed. Those selected for interview were approved for permanent residence in New Zealand from 1 November 2004 to 31 October 2005. The final round of interviews with migrants was completed between November 2007 and October 2009.

Findings from this research will inform future immigration policy development.

Information on the LisNZ programme can be found here.

The full report can be found here.
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