Wednesday 6 June 2007
It is important that the New Zealand Residence Programme focuses on the quality of migrants and be set at a level in balance with economic conditions, Immigration Minister David Cunliffe says.
"New Zealand's immigration programme targets skills and productivity growth to expand the capacity of our economy," Mr Cunliffe said.
"Accordingly, I expect that the total NZ Residence Programme numbers for 2006-07 to be around 47,000, down from the 50,000 earlier forecast.
"I expect next year's programme to be set at about similar levels.
"At the same time, we are redoubling our focus on acute short-term skill shortages, with work on an expanded range of temporary skilled migration policies.
"We have also radically shifted the investor migrant policy toward active investment in real businesses and employment.
"This should expand productivity and economic capacity, more than demand, while being appropriate for current economic conditions.
"The new Active Investor Migrant programme is capped at 1000 people (300 investors plus family members) a year."
