This report looks at how well Immigration New Zealand and other agencies support new migrants to settle and work in New Zealand.
New Zealand has long relied on migrant labour to supplement the labour force and support the economy. Today, one in four people in the workforce was born overseas. The people who choose to migrate to New Zealand help to address gaps in the health, engineering, information and technology, and other labour markets. Migrants are essential to the country's economy, so it is important for more than humanitarian reasons that they settle well.
Most skilled migrants settle well into life and work in New Zealand. Most of the skilled migrants who come to live here have job offers before arriving. Some of these skilled people first enter New Zealand as temporary migrants. Employment rates for new skilled migrants are high and remain high over the years that they stay in New Zealand.
An important aspect of settlement is that skilled migrants' families feel settled and able to make New Zealand their home. Research shows that 58% of partners of skilled migrants (secondary skilled migrants) who seek work find a job within two years of arriving.
However, secondary skilled migrants and temporary visa holders who aspire to become skilled migrants face several barriers to settlement. These barriers include getting access to services to help them settle, such as services to help them find suitable jobs and improve their English-language skills.
Immigration New Zealand a division of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and various other public entities provide services to help migrants to settle. In 2012/13, the total budget throughout government for services to support new migrants to settle and work was about $17 million.
This report is part of my Office's programme of work for 2012/13 under the theme of Our future needs – is the public sector ready?
My staff looked at how effectively the money to support new migrants to settle and work was used. More can be achieved through better governance of how this money is spent and improved evaluation of the effect that government settlement services are having on helping new migrants to settle and work.
Lyn Provost
Controller and Auditor-General
18 November 2013