Amended skilled migration rules take effect in New Zealand

The new amendment in the migration rules took effect on Sunday in New Zealand to ensure movement of more migrants to other regions besides Auckland.

According to the new regulation, migrants who begin their jobs in New Zealand would get extra points, easily reaching the minimum of 100 points required to apply for NZ residence. Reports suggest that out of the 10,000 skilled migrants, half of them move to Auckland with their families as soon as they are granted residence. The figures are based on a yearly basis.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse confirmed that New Zealanders will be the first preference for jobs, but migrants are being welcomed as there are some job opportunities and requirements that are difficult to fill in the regions. “While there will be more incentives for skilled migrants to move to the regions, they will now need to stay there for a minimum of 12 months,” he said in a statement. Earlier, skilled migrants were expected to stay for a minimum of three months, which was increased to 12 months in the new amended migration rules. The last change in the immigration rules was announced in July by Prime Minister John Key.

The Migration Trends and Outlook 2014-15 report released on Monday by Immigration New Zealand indicated that New Zealand’s net migration increase in 2014 amounted to 58,300, which emerged as a result of the movement of most of the people from China or India. One in three permanent migrants belonged to either of the two nations.

According to the report, China comprised 17 percent of permanent migrant source in New Zealand in 2014, followed by India with 16 percent, while the United Kingdom that constituted one of the main permanent migrant sources was on the third position with 11 percent.

Immigration expert Paul Spoonley said that the increase in the number of permanent migrants, students and temporary workers has kept the influx of migrants constant in the past two to three years, putting New Zealand on the top spot in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development list so far, in regard to the number of arrival per head of population.

“The net gain is now north of 60,000 and growing month-on-month,” Professor Spoonley from Massey University said as quoted by the New Zealand Herald. “Given that some economic indicators are less positive, I would have thought that the numbers might have tailed off or even dropped, but they keep coming.

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