This chapter focuses on migrants’ participation in the labour market, the importance of their contribution in terms of cultural and social benefits and international linkages is also acknowledged.
Key Results
• Seventy percent of migrants were employed and 4 percent were looking for work.
• Labour market outcomes were generally more positive for migrants approved onshore than migrants approved offshore.
• Skilled principal migrants had the highest employment rate (93 percent) and were more likely than other migrant groups to be working at the same or higher skill level as they had been in their previous country.
• Seventy percent of migrants were working within three months of residence approval.
• Migrants who reported English as a language they spoke best had higher employment and labour force participation rates than migrants who did not.
• Migrants who had previous work experience in New Zealand had significantly higher employment rates (88 percent) than those who had been here but not had paid work (48 percent) or had not been here before (53 percent).
• Sixty-two percent of migrants reported no difficulty finding a job in New Zealand. Of those who had difficulties, the lack of New Zealand work experience was the most commonly cited reason.
• Seventy-nine percent of migrants were satisfied or very satisfied with their job