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MOST ARE ENJOYING NEW LIFE By Lawrence JohnstonMOST skilled migrants are enjoying life in New Zealand within a year of arriving there. That is the finding of newly published research done for the Department of Labour. The research found 90 per cent of skilled migrants were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with living in New Zealand, with 89 per cent saying they would recommend New Zealand to friends and family overseas. The 'Life in New Zealand Settlement experiences of skilled migrants' report asked skilled migrants of more than 60 nationalities about aspects of their life there one year after they were granted residence. Immigration Minister David Cunliffe was particularly pleased by the report's suggestion that the longer skilled migrants were living in New Zealand, the longer they planned to stay there. At the time of gaining residence, 60 per cent of migrants planned to stay in New Zealand five years or longer. After a year there, that figure rose to 71 per cent. "That says a lot about what New Zealand has to offer, and shows the country is meeting their expectations. It suggests they are settling successfully into jobs, communities and Kiwi life in general. "It's also good news for New Zealand employers who need the contribution of migrants at a time of continuing skills shortages." The report found that 94 per cent of the principal migrants surveyed were working and contributing to the labour market. "That's an exceptional finding," he said. Of those, the majority of principal applicants said they were 'very satisfied' or 'satisfied' with their jobs. "Another good indicator of settling well into a new country is the ability to participate and become part of social and group activities. The report found that a third of migrants were part of a sports club after just a year in the country." There were some aspects of New Zealand life that migrants said they did not adjust to so easily. Many said they needed more help with getting a driver's licence, others with the tax system and finding a GP. "Those issues, and other findings in the report, will be used as a basis for development of settlement resources and support in the future. "Settling in a new country can be difficult, no matter where in the world you're from. This report indicates that skilled migrants are making a very successful transition," Mr Cunliffe said. The survey was designed to monitor early settlement experiences of Skilled and Business Stream migrants who became New Zealand residents between January 2004 and December 2004. It surveyed them one year after gaining residence. It collected information about migrants' employment status and income, satisfaction with jobs, housing, schools and services provided. It also looked at their experiences of settling in New Zealand. Migrants from 64 nationalities were surveyed, most being from the UK (45 per cent), South Africa (nine per cent) and China and South Korea (each seven per cent). The nationalities were grouped into 'UK/Ireland', 'ESANA' (including countries from Europe, South Africa and North America), 'Asia' and 'other'. Besides helping the Department of Labour to deal with settlement issues, the results of the survey will also be useful for other government and non-government agencies which are in contact with new migrants. Key findings of report Migrants' likes Overall, 88 per cent of migrants were either 'very satisfied' or 'satisfied' with living in New Zealand. A near identical percentage would recommend New Zealand to others as a place to live. Almost all respondents said that the climate/natural beauty/clean green environment was what they liked most about New Zealand, followed by experiences with friendly people and a relaxed lifestyle (78 per cent). More than half the respondents liked New Zealand's small population and a similar proportion said they liked the ability to achieve a desired lifestyle and the safety from crime and violence. Migrants from UK/Ireland were more likely than other nationalities to like the climate and natural beauty of New Zealand. Migrants from ESANA were more likely to appreciate New Zealand's safety from crime. Asian migrants liked New Zealand's small population and the education system and opportunities, more than other migrants. Migrants' dislikes Principal migrants most disliked the long distance from their homes (46 per cent). The tax system and rates (44 per cent), and the cost of health services (43 per cent), were also disliked by principal migrants. Employment Nearly all principal applicants said they were working for pay or profit - and 67 per cent of spouses or dependants of the principal applicant were working. Most migrants (85 per cent) said they did not have difficulty finding work. More than three-quarters of the principal applicants who responded said they were 'very satisfied' or 'satisfied' in their jobs, 14 per cent were 'neither satisfied nor dissatisfied', eight per cent were 'dissatisfied' or 'very dissatisfied'. More than half the principal applicants who responded to this question were earning an annual income of more than NZ$50,000. Housing and children Some 45 per cent of migrants were a parent/guardian of a child/children attending school. Overall, 85 per cent of migrants were satisfied or very satisfied with their child's school. Migrants from different source countries had very similar satisfaction rates. Almost half the migrants surveyed owned their own home with a mortgage (44 per cent). The majority of migrants (80 per cent) were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of housing. |
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