[Sovenok]

I've made my own small research in the situation, I was afraid of a new immigration policy, so I explored what to expect from John Key, see
NATIONAL’S PLAN
1. Retaining Kiwis & Attracting More Home
Ensure tax, regulatory, and infrastructure policies make returning home attractive for highly skilled expat Kiwis. Require Immigration NZ to initiate a one-stop-shop approach to servicing the needs of returning New Zealanders.

2. Meeting Our Skills Needs
Streamline employer accreditation:
• Streamline proceedures for qualifying employers to be “recognised“ or “accredited” to recruit internationally.
• Make employment performance count more towards the granting of residence.
• Require employers who recruit offshore to provide a bond. Boost monitoring and remove accreditation/recognition from employers if policies are breached.
Better meet demand for seasonal skills:
• Retain the RSE Scheme for Pacific Nations. Make it easier to hire seasonal workers outside the scheme where it is not meeting employer’s needs.
• Introduce temporary work visas for legal visitors who have a guaranteed offer of seasonal work.

Access higher-level skills by introducing a Silver Fern Visa for people with recognised tertiary qualifications.
This visa will enable holders to:
• Undertake temporary work while seeking highlypaid permanent employment.
• Obtain a 24-month work visa once they have gained permanent employment.
• Apply for permanent residence (once on the 24- month work visa) through the Work-to-Residence or Skilled Migrant provisions.

On top of that, I found an article:

Feb. 4 (Bloomberg) -- New Zealand’s annual immigration growth fell to an eight-year low in 2008, adding to signs that weak consumer spending and demand for housing may delay the economy’s recovery from a recession.

The number of permanent migrant arrivals exceeded departures by 3,814, Statistics New Zealand said in a report released today in Wellington. That’s the lowest calendar year figure since departures exceeded arrivals in 2000.

Does it mean that NZ is not going to cut immigration?

[sekilau]

However, from the biweekly draw for SMC, it does not seem that they draw less number of people from the pool.

If they really want to reduce the number of new in-take, they could draw less people on every 2-week.

I've made my own small research in the situation, I was afraid of a new immigration policy, so I explored what to expect from John Key, see
NATIONAL’S PLAN
1. Retaining Kiwis & Attracting More Home
Ensure tax, regulatory, and infrastructure policies make returning home attractive for highly skilled expat Kiwis. Require Immigration NZ to initiate a one-stop-shop approach to servicing the needs of returning New Zealanders.

2. Meeting Our Skills Needs
Streamline employer accreditation:
• Streamline proceedures for qualifying employers to be “recognised“ or “accredited” to recruit internationally.
• Make employment performance count more towards the granting of residence.
• Require employers who recruit offshore to provide a bond. Boost monitoring and remove accreditation/recognition from employers if policies are breached.
Better meet demand for seasonal skills:
• Retain the RSE Scheme for Pacific Nations. Make it easier to hire seasonal workers outside the scheme where it is not meeting employer’s needs.
• Introduce temporary work visas for legal visitors who have a guaranteed offer of seasonal work.

Access higher-level skills by introducing a Silver Fern Visa for people with recognised tertiary qualifications.
This visa will enable holders to:
• Undertake temporary work while seeking highlypaid permanent employment.
• Obtain a 24-month work visa once they have gained permanent employment.
• Apply for permanent residence (once on the 24- month work visa) through the Work-to-Residence or Skilled Migrant provisions.

On top of that, I found an article:

Feb. 4 (Bloomberg) -- New Zealand’s annual immigration growth fell to an eight-year low in 2008, adding to signs that weak consumer spending and demand for housing may delay the economy’s recovery from a recession.

The number of permanent migrant arrivals exceeded departures by 3,814, Statistics New Zealand said in a report released today in Wellington. That’s the lowest calendar year figure since departures exceeded arrivals in 2000.

Does it mean that NZ is not going to cut immigration?

[IanW99]

However, from the biweekly draw for SMC, it does not seem that they draw less number of people from the pool.

If they really want to reduce the number of new in-take, they could draw less people on every 2-week.

Why do you think that they want to reduce numbers?

I don't see anything that you posted, or in the news that indicates that they are reducing immigration numbers.

The only think that is noted is that currently the number of migrants coming into NZ is lower than at any time since 2000. If they did want to reduce numbers then they wouldn't actually have anything to do as net flow is already very low (due to lots of Kiwis still moving to Oz).

Ian

[sekilau]

I don't think they will reduce the number. I point out is that, we don't have evident on supporting "reducing number of immigrant" to new zealand.

Why do you think that they want to reduce numbers?

I don't see anything that you posted, or in the news that indicates that they are reducing immigration numbers.

The only think that is noted is that currently the number of migrants coming into NZ is lower than at any time since 2000. If they did want to reduce numbers then they wouldn't actually have anything to do as net flow is already very low (due to lots of Kiwis still moving to Oz).

Ian

[Angel2850]

I think at the end of the day it doesn't matter how many people are coming INTO new zealand, cause that number has to be balanced against how many are LEAVING - hence Aucklands population growth over november and december was actually negative... even though I personally knew three families who arrived...
NZ can't keep their own people... everyones going to Aus to make more money.

So, I really don't think NZIS is going to be cutting immigration numbers, what they need to do is increase staff so that applications don't take a year to process....

[np2nz]

Are NZ companies are laying off people like the US companies are doing in the US? Or they just simply stopped hiring new employees? Just wanted to get some feel on how hard NZ is hit by the global economy melt down. Thanks.

[Sovenok]

Here are fresh coverages:
18 % of firms decline the business activity,
3 % of firms have cut back on staff in the past 3 months
6% of firms intend to decrease staff in the next 3 months
not so sad, neither so rosy

[gil]

Yes, there are layoffs/restructures, as well as stops on hiring. Not to the extent we've seen on the news from the UK though.

Gil

[M-Squared]

And certainly nothing close to the scale of the downturn in the US. 598,000 people lost their jobs in the States in January.

[James 1077]

And certainly nothing close to the scale of the downturn in the US. 598,000 people lost their jobs in the States in January.

Best to look at percentage changes for this though - 598k would be about 15% of the total NZ population and probably more like 25% of the working population!

Also I would worry a lot about media reporting of numbers like this - 598,000 looks like a large number but what was it last year? I can imagine that lots of people take up jobs for the December / January rush and then lose the jobs after the sales season.

Not to say things are bad - just always take statistics and numbers in the media with a VERY large pinch of salt!

[skibumwa]

I work and live here in Welly. I work for a large global IT company and we are not hiring and NOT laying off now. We, like many other IT shops here in Welly, are waiting for the newly elected government to sort it's budgets out so we can get our projects to work on. It's like a calm before the storm or SURGE of project work that will come to us.

So I say to all of you who will want to work in IT here in Welly, be relaxed as companies will be hiring soon, BUT it won't be as easy to get full time perm or contract work as when I came here back in mid-2007; this is due to the global economy of course. Make sure your CVs look good, and be confident. Also, plan to visit here for an interview (reccy) trip. Most companies here will not offer a job unless you come down here to interview at your expense.

Good luck peoples! :nice1

Cheers,
John