From our Leader, Digital Edition dated December 15, 2022
Venkat Raman
Auckland, December 18, 2022
We congratulate Immigration Minister Michael Wood for ordering several changes to the Immigration policy, directed towards easing the severe shortage of labour supply that is crippling businesses. As well as listening to the market needs, he has boldly conceded the fact that Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has remained stony and must change.
While labour shortage is a global phenomenon, there have been constraining factors that are peculiar to New Zealand. We are not at the centre of the world, to enable migrant labour to move around easily (like in Europe or North America for instance) and we are a very small country of five million people to promote greater mobility even within our borders. Migrant labour, therefore, needs more incentives to consider New Zealand as a destination.
Responsive to economic needs
In ordering rebalancing and resetting, Mr Wood has struck at the core of the immigration system, making it responsive to the needs of the economy.
One of the most significant moves is to accord pathway to residence straightaway to nurses from December 15, 2022. From March 2023, more professions will be included in this category- teachers and many in the construction and hospitality sectors- in order that businesses can function with greater certainty.
As Mr Wood mentioned, the ‘Green List’ settings is being expanded to include healthcare, education and other essential sectors, to give a competitive edge in a highly competitive global environment. While some commentators were suggesting that our labour market is starting to lose some of its heat, Mr Wood and his Ministry are continuing to pull out all the stops to position the market ahead of the pack. They are supporting businesses and sectors experiencing shortages more acutely.
Will easing immigration alone work? The answer is unsurprising No. The governments of Canada and Australia say that they have opened their borders to migrant labour and international students, but thereabouts no evidence to prove that this system is working. Both countries are still complaining about labour shortages.
Benefits of migration
There is no doubt that countries that depend on migration have benefited immensely from the arrival of migrant labour, many of whom become permanent residents and citizens. So do a sizeable number of international students. There is enough evidence of this in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and much of Europe. In addition, the increased intake of refugee population also adds to the diversity of the demography.
For much of the past century, immigration has spurred economic prosperity in New Zealand.
Migration is not antithetical to national interests and countries that function like walled fortresses are left out of the global race for innovation, trade and human capital.
Mr Wood has good news for students too. People who held a Post Study Work Visa but were unable to use it due to the border closing in March 2020 will be eligible for 12-month open work visas if they are not already in New Zealand on another visa. INZ is also introducing a streamlined Specific Purpose work visa that long-term critical workers can apply for to allow them to continue to work in their current role for up to three years.
There is good reason to believe that New Zealand will continue to be progressive in its immigration policy, for Mr Wood has shown initiative which none of his predecessors has done so; his attempts to turn immigration into a business and community-friendly operation will certainly pay rich dividends.
