Research from New Zealand’s Immigration department has shown that immigration contributed NZ$ 3.3 billion to the country’s economy over the year ending June 20 2006. This is a most encouraging indicator of economic growth when compared to the NZ$1.7 billion that migrants contributed in 2003.

These statistics show the importance of immigration to the economy of New Zealand, which is still suffering many large-scale labour shortages in a number of sectors.

Immigration minister David Cunliffe commented: “Immigration ensures that our employers can access the much-needed skills they need for economic growth, and migrants also bring in links to export markets, investment, ideas and diversity.”

The importance of skilled migrant workers entering New Zealand’s workforce is reflected in the government’s investment of NZ$4.8 billion towards helping new migrants settle into life in New Zealand. Moreover, the cost of offering such support were vastly outweighed by the amount that the government received in tax from New Zealand migrants, amounting to NZ$8.1 billion.

Mr. Cunliffe said that the results were made up of census data which indicated that there are now 1 million migrants in New Zealand. However, the country is still very much on the look out for skilled migrants to boost its workforce.

For any further information regarding New Zealand emigration, visit our website at www.overseas-emigration.co.uk.