Press Release: Business New Zealand
Media release 1 July 2003
New immigration policy tackles skill
shortages
The 'skilled migrant' approach
announced today should be a major improvement, says Business NZ.
Chief Executive Simon Carlaw says
no-one benefits from a taxi rank of over-qualified drivers, least of
all those businesses throughout the economy in desperate need of
particular skills.
"The proposed focus on
settlement outcomes should go a long way towards getting the right
people in the right place at the right time.
"Clearly there has been a
mismatch for too long between what businesses have been searching for,
and what the immigration process has been providing.
"With the successful talent visa
scheme and the continuing review of the business immigration category,
there is a much better prospect that New Zealand's immigration policy
will underpin the Government's growth objectives.
"As soon as these changes are
bedded in, the next step should be a constructive national debate on
the case for bold immigration targets to increase our population size
as well as sustainable economic growth rates," Mr Carlaw said.
