Venkat Raman –
The fact that New Zealand is a country of opportunities and that new migrants are welcome to their new home would be the highlight of a major event showcasing a number of services and facilities available to them.
The ‘ANZ Migrant Expo 2015,’ scheduled to be held at The Cloud (Queen’s Wharf at 89 Quay Street) in Auckland City on Saturday. September 5, 2015 will be one of its kind, as it has been since it began three years ago.
Spectacular growth
More than 120 exhibitors (up from 50 last year and 12 in 2013) will participate with their products and services exhibited in the ready-to-use and with-all-fittings stalls provided free by ANZ, reinstating its pre-eminent status as the country’s largest commercial bank.
Among them would be government departments including Immigration New Zealand, Inland Revenue Department, government and agencies, businesses, airline companies, travel agencies, service providers and media.
Departing from its quietude, Indian Newslink would also be a participant along with other members of the ethnic media.
Show objectives
Among objectives of the Expo are to provide professional and useful information to migrants to settle into New Zealand, set up a platform for migrant business owners to profile and grow their business and work with key government agencies, ethnic communities and business partners to provide necessary support to new migrants
Eric Chuah, Head of Customer Segment and International Banking at ANZ said that about 10,000 people are likely to visit Migrant Expo 2015.
Realising benefits
We believe that is a conservative estimate, for, given the growing population of migrants from developing countries of Asia and given their ‘rethink syndrome’ orchestrated by a series of not-envisaged challenges and problems, even long term residents and citizens of the country would find the one-day event useful. They would, hopefully visualise the benefits of attending the Expo and debrief or disseminate information to their friends, relatives, neighbours, and the larger communities.
“We had only 100 visitors in the first year. The growth of the Expo shows that the size of the demand from the migrant community for businesses, government agencies and other services to help them establish and organise their lives in New Zealand. The Expo is an opportunity to get these businesses and services together under one roof and to make finding information and support as easy as possible for our new migrants,” he said.
Valuable services
The presence of real estate agents, construction companies, immigration consultants and other professionals should add value to the Expo, since their services are important for every new migrant, at least in the first year of their arrival in this country.
Most migrants from Asia are unaware of even such mundane issues as obtaining driving licence or making use of the licence obtained in their erstwhile country of residence, matters relating to taxation, renting or owning property, the system of government and so on.
ANZ Migrant Expo 2015 would be an eye-opener to them.
This reporter understands that consulates and diplomatic missions will be among the participants at this popular migrant event.
People from Australia, United States of America, Britain, Canada and even Pakistan access the services of their High Commissions, Embassies, Consulates and diplomatic missions even after they become citizens of New Zealand because they retain their original citizenships.
Indian apathy
But people from India do not generally maintain their connection with the Indian High Commission (which has no office in Auckland or any other major city except Wellington) after they obtain New Zealand citizenship probably because they become ‘foreigners’ (India does not allow dual citizenship) and are treated on a par with others.
Mr Chuah said that ANZ has a dedicated team providing a range of products designed to meet the unique needs of migrant customers, and a network of specialist branches that have the skills and local knowledge to help migrants establish and manage their banking in New Zealand.
Global connections
“With ANZ’s parent company having a presence in 34 markets around the world, together with ANZ New Zealand, it enables migrant customers to open a new ANZ account and have their financial affairs in order before moving to New Zealand. As the largest bank in New Zealand, we understand how connecting migrants to the right people and services can make establishing themselves in New Zealand easier,” he said.
“ANZ welcomes new migrants, settled migrants, or anyone who would like to connect with migrants to attend this free expo,” Mr Chuah added.
