Home > Our Publications > New Zealand Outlook > 2004 > February

By Lawrence Johnston

IT'S now easier for people wishing to emigrate to New Zealand to earn vital extra points towards the government's pass mark.
To make it easier to attract the vitally-needed skilled migrants, the Government has designated "clusters" of different trades and professions, throughout the country.
These "clusters" and future growth sectors are where the same industry, but perhaps in different areas of New Zealand, are working together.
When applying to emigrate via the new skilled migrant category, any additional points you can muster can make the difference between topping the vital 100 points tally that you need to have a chance, or falling short.
At that point, you are entered into a pool from which your expression of interest (EOI) is considered along with the host of other EOIs that there are likely to be from other people.
Two new aspects of the points system have now been clarified.
If you have two to five years work experience in an industry that has been identified as one of the country's future growth areas, you earn five bonus points. For six or more years experience that tally is doubled. The same is the case if your experience is in an identified cluster or sector of skills shortage in New Zealand.
As Mr Bruce Burrows, Immigration Regional Manager for Europe, Africa and the Americas, said: "Clusters are groups of employers working in a similar field. For example there's one called Biosouth, which comprises a number of bio technology employers."
Currently identified clusters are:
* Film Auckland.
* Wellington Creative Manufacturing.
* Canterbury Software.
* Biosouth, and
* Canterbury Nutraceuticals.
The other category - current future growth sectors - comprises:
* Biotechnology.
* Information communications technology, and
* Creative industries.
The latter sector includes software and computing services, as well as such things as TV and radio, film and video, and music and the visual arts. Also included are publishing, advertising, architecture, design and designer fashion.
Skilled employment in one of the identified clusters or future growth sectors, only qualifies for points if the principal applicant provides confirmation from their employer and an immigration or visa officer is satisfied about certain things. In the case of a cluster, the employer must be part of one of the clusters. In the case of a future growth sector, the applicant's current employment or offer of employment must be in one of those identified future growth sectors.
Skilled migrant applicants are now able to submit their EOI on line. This issue is important because the first step that an applicant via this category needs to take is to submit an EOI.
Mr Burrows said that with 600 EOIs having been received by the NZIS worldwide up until about mid January, a "healthy interest" is being shown in the skilled migrant category. It was too early to say what proportion had stemmed from the UK.