New Zealand’s Immigration department (INZ) has replaced its General work policy with a new scheme, the Essential Skills policy, which is due to take effect on July 28th this year.  The new policy has been designed to attract more highly skilled migrants to the country, whilst at the same time protecting NZ’s lower paid workers from losing their jobs to overseas workers.  Applicants for working permits will be separated into tiers of skill level and will be processed in collaboration with the Department of Work and Income, to prevent lower skilled migrants taking NZ residents jobs.

One of the most significant changes to policy is that overseas migrants applying for jobs with salaries of over NZ$55,000 will no longer have to apply for Residency but instead will be issued with a 5 year working permit, with an option to add three year extensions on completion.

New Zealand needs skilled workers to take up postions in all sorts of industries.  If you have skills and experience and are considering migrating to New Zealand, take a look at www.workingin-newzealand.com for opportunities.

An immigrant doctor, Ronald Ma, has been commended by his local council for using his band, Smooth Stream, to help “migrants and refugees to smoothly stream into New Zealand mainstream society through music”.  Dr Ma recognises the common language of music and the sharing of information and contacts that goes on when people come together for a common cause.

New Zealand has many services available to new migrants to the country, to help them settle in.  Visiting the government immigration website will show you what is available in your local community.

You could migrate to New Zealand.  The country needs skilled migrants to fill labour shortages in all sorts of areas, check out www.workingin-newzealand for details.

New Zealand is experiencing a shortage in many skilled labour areas but registered nurses to care for the elderly are in critically short supply.  Many companies are so desperate for staff that they are having to attract carers from overseas.

The southern hemispheres largest rest home provider, The Selwyn Foundation, has recently dispatched a team to South Africa to attend the Opportunities New Zealand Expo, held over the 19th and 20th July in Johannesburg, specifically to recruit potential migrants.  Human resource manager Lorraine Sobotka says “a worldwide shortage of registered nurses means it is harder than ever to find people who want to care for the elderly”.

6000 people are expected to attend the Expo this weekend and The Selwyn Foundation, combined with many other influential Kiwi companies, expects to be offering hundreds of jobs to skilled South Africans over the two days. 

If you are interested in attending the Expo, click here.  If you aren’t able to attend but are interested in migrating to New Zealand, visit www.workingin-newzealand.com.

The Opportunities New Zealand Expo is gearing up in South Africa for this weekend and is expected to be a huge success.  The Expo, being held in Johannesburg on the 19th and 20th July, is a chance for potential migrants to meet some of New Zealand’s top employers and recruitment agencies who are keen to employ skilled, experienced staff.

Among others attending is the company Navman, which is looking to recruit around 10 new staff members for its 100-strong in-car navigation business unit in Auckland.  They are looking specifically for designers and engineers.

The health sector will also be strongly represented, offering jobs to nurses, doctors, physios, dentists, speech therapists and more.

WorkingIn, the organisers of the event, are expecting over 6000 visitors to the Opportunities New Zealand Expo in Johannesburg, its fifth Expo globally this year, and expects hundreds of jobs to be offered to hopeful migrants over the weekend and the following weeks.

If you have an interest in migrating to New Zealand, the Opportunities New Zealand Expo could be your ticket there.  Doors of opportunity are going to open in Johannesburg this weekend.  So grab your CV and head on down!

It is possible that 35 pilgrims, travelling through New Zealand to attend World Peace Day in Australia have absconded as part of an immigration scam.  Billeted around New Zealand’s Catholic community, awaiting their onward flights to Sydney, the group who travelled from India appear to have made a run for it, even leaving their luggage behind.

An Indian taxi driver who drove some of the group to Tauranga, said the men had told him they had paid $17,000 dollars to someone in India who had promised them they could stay in New Zealand ‘forever’.

The Labour Department is collecting information to help them locate the men but is currently unable to take action, until the men’s visitor permits have expired.

There are easier ways to migrate to New Zealand,  particularly if you have skills which are currently in short supply.  Check out www.workingin-newzealand.com for tips and advice on all the legal ways to relocate.

After 8 attempts, during a staggering 87 years of defeat, at Dunedin, South Africa finally beat the All Blacks on Saturday, to the jubilant celebrations of the large South African crowd.  It was particularly pleasing as up until the last 8 minutes of the game it looked as though New Zealand was going to pull off another victory. 

Today many South African migrants will be walking tall in New Zealand, feeling proud of their homeland and happy to have witnessed such a spectacle here in their new home.  An epic battle between two rugby mad nations.

New Zealand is the perfect destination for South Africans looking to migrate, with commonalities of culture and language.  If you are considering migrating visit www.workingin-newzealand.com for loads of information about New Zealand’s culture, the land and its people.

New Zealand urgently needs more midwives.  According to District Health Board figures the system was down by 85 midwives in April of this year.  As it is estimated that each midwife helps approximately 50 mums-to-be every year, this shortfall of 85 active midwives translates into thousands of women’s needs not being met adequately.

If you have midwifery skills, why not look into migrating to New Zealand where you can be sure of being truly appreciated for your hard earned experience.  Midwifery is on the government’s Long Term Skills Shortage List which means you can score additional points when you apply for a visa.  Check out www.workingin-newzealand.com for details.

A mining company operating on the South Island’s West Coast, Pike River Coal, has turned it’s recruitment energy towards South Africa and Australia after receiving only two applications for it’s twelve nationally advertised jobs. 

The company is hiring in the run up to beginning it’s mining operations near Greymouth and has currently employed 70 people, but expects to double that by the middle of 2009.  So far they have recruited skilled electrical staff from both South Africa and Australia and are continuing to advertise there.

New Zealand’s labour shortage means openings abound here for skilled migrants.  Check out the opportunities that may be available for you at www.workingin-newzealand.com.

New Zealand’s ski-fields are enjoying fresh powder conditions during the first week of the school holidays, putting smiles on many faces, young and old.  After being forced to close during Arctic conditions which swept the country at the weekend, bringing large dumps of fresh snow, all the major fields are now fully operational and today enjoying cold but sunny conditions.  And the cold weather is welcome too, creating the optimum environment to make man-made snow with the legion of guns that are installed at most of the fields.

Skiing is just one of many easily accessible outdoor activities available in New Zealand, with fields on both the North and the South Islands, within easy reach of all the main centres.  Just another reason to consider migrating here….

New Zealand is experiencing a skills shortage in many employment sectors, there are jobs available that may suit you.  Why not check out the options available to you and you could be learning to ski with your children on a New Zealand ski-field this time next year?

A recent Fonterra shareholder survey has revealed that 45% of the 5000 dairy farmers questioned are feeling the effects of the shortage of skilled and competent farm workers.  Businesses are being affected to the extent that some dairy farms are being forced into once a day milking because of the labour shortages. 

Farms are recruiting from overseas in order to keep afloat.  Jobs are being offered to skilled migrants coming from South Africa, the UK and the Netherlands, with an estimated 150 migrants working in the Southland and Canterbury regions alone. 

The minimum starting wage for overseas workers was $34,600 plus benefits, on a 52.5-hour week.

If you have farming skills and a dream to work in some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, why not explore your options in New Zealand at www.workingin-newzealand.com.