Offshore Talents and Skills – Immigration

New Zealand is a small country with a big heart. As people, we are renowned for our friendly nature and laid back attitude. We have a unique history and many adventurous outdoor activities, all of which contribute to our 100% Pure New Zealand brand.

While tourism in New Zealand is healthy and continues to grow, many people believe that New Zealand is a country that is built on immigration. Many migrants bring to New Zealand the vital skills we need to grow our economy. So how can we compete on the world stage when we don’t have access to those skills needed to stay at the forefront of technology?

Annual net migration in New Zealand reached a record 72,400 in the July 2017 year, however newly sworn Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that she expects these numbers to decrease by 20,000-30,000 per annum. This is where the fear kicks in for many small and medium-sized enterprises who rely on the availability of offshore talent and skills to grow their business through innovation. There are currently a handful of skill-sets that are in high demand that will now become rarer and more expensive to acquire, making it extremely tough for these businesses to grow and innovate.

If you watch football/soccer, you will see the best players go to the best clubs, sometimes for over $150 million. Those clubs with less money cannot retain or attract the best talent. Now, this is how the larger businesses will operate, they will be in a better position to offer the best price for the best talent, ultimately leaving small to medium sized business in their wake.

Right now, the world is moving forward with technologies like automation and artificial intelligence which are now used in just about every industry. Technology and efficiency are the base of any industry and the evolution of these factors have an incredible impact on results. Without access to offshore talent who are experienced in these processes, New Zealand could fall behind the rest of the world.

New Zealand has ranked first in the Prosperity Index for six of the last 10 years – talented individuals from all parts of the world want to live here and are attracted to the Kiwi Lifestyle, and why wouldn’t you be? We as a nation have the opportunity catch up with the rest of the world, and push our industries to their full potential. However, without access to the necessary talent, New Zealand will be stuck in time.

If you consider yourself an overseas talent, or a local talent, then get in contact with us at TRS! Our team can help you to get in contact with New Zealand’s most sought after employers. We are available to talk between 8:30-5:00pm (NZDT) so call 0800-171-000 or email any inquiries to conor@trs.co.nz.