Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader

Member of Parliament for Northland
12 SEPTEMBER 2016

Too Many Unskilled Immigrants Flooding into NZ

It is not more cab drivers, two dollar shop workers or petrol pump attendants that New Zealand needs but skilled migrants of whom many will work in the regions, says New Zealand First Leader and Northland Member of Parliament Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“We have record immigration of over 125,000 people coming into New Zealand, many of whom are low skilled and on work visas, as Treasury has pointed out, and they are not adding to New Zealand’s wealth but creating demand problems.

“With net 69,000 immigrants being allowed to live here permanently each year, there’s greater competition for jobs, huge pressure on housing, and Auckland, where most of the immigrants choose to live, has become a nightmare with roads clogged, and hospitals and schools under huge pressure.

“Treasury, MBIE, ANZ have all expressed concern about the numbers of low skilled immigrants coming to New Zealand but the government ignores them.

“The owner of an Auckland HR and employment law business advised New Zealand First he had been struck by the huge number of immigrants coming from private training bodies applying for jobs as drivers, in customer services and warehouses without any of the requisite skills.

“He said most had little understanding of a New Zealand employer’s expectations, poor English and were mostly unsuited to the positions they applied for. He added: ‘Many of my clients question why they have been allowed into the country and why they are granted work visas at all given the lack of work readiness. They also wonder why we are paying taxes to spend on healthcare, benefits and superannuation to those who have not worked paying taxes.’

“NZ First says immigration numbers must be reduced to a figure near 10,000 per year with many skilled workers bonded to work in the regions for five years before they can relocate to cities such as Auckland,” Mr Peters says.

ENDS

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