New website connects expats with New Zealand Now

Tuesday 1 November 2005

A marketing programme including a new website to better connect expatriate New Zealanders with opportunities here was launched today by Immigration Minister David Cunliffe.

"New Zealand is a great place to live, work and play. We want to remind expats that New Zealand has an incredible amount to offer," Mr Cunliffe said.

The website is the start of a programme to make it easier for New Zealanders living offshore to come home, and ensure that those people who intend to return have the information they need to help them.

Mr Cunliffe said the programme was set against a background of a strong economy, the lowest unemployment rate in the developed world, increasing international competition for skills and around 500,000 New Zealanders living offshore.

"New Zealanders have always travelled and we know that three quarters of our overseas population are either intending to come home some time or will consider the option of coming home," he said.

"They have the skills our employers are crying out for and with unemployment at just 3.7 per cent this is a great time to begin talking to them about living here."

Department of Labour Communications and Marketing Director Richard Ninness said the programme centred around a website, newzealandnow.info, divided into categories around living, working, playing and moving home to New Zealand.

"The website aims to make it easier for New Zealanders to come home by keeping them in touch with what is really happening in New Zealand and the opportunities that are available here now."

The Department's marketing to attract skills to New Zealand would become more important as global demographics like ageing populations and shrinking workforces increased international competition for skilled labour, he said.

"Skilled New Zealanders are going to be in increasing demand offshore. That means it's important that we take new initiatives now to make sure that they know more about what's good about being home."

Initial activity would focus on the UK. The website would be supported by a poster ad campaign in the London underground, web advertising on sites visited by Kiwis in the UK and other promotional activities to be announced later.

Mr Ninness said an indication that the time was right for the programme was the support from all those spoken to.

Award winning New Zealand menswear label Little Brother, designed by Murray Crane, has produced a t-shirt for the launch, drawing on iconic poster art images from past immigration marketing campaigns.

"Little Brother is an example of a New Zealand company doing great things and with a great international future. The fact Murray Crane is keen to get involved is proof we are doing the right thing."

The programme would also include a trial of videoconferencing facilities to connect New Zealand employers with potential employees in London and a review of immigration policies and processes as they apply to partners and children of returning Kiwis.

ENDS

About newzealandnow.info

The website:

• tells people about current opportunities and connects them to jobs via recruitment agencies
• reminds them what's good about living in New Zealand (and what's new) and connects them with the information and services they need to relocate
• provides centralised access to existing sources of targeted information, such as Kiwi businesses, arts, music, lifestyle and events
• enables those using it to send friends and family email postcards to promote the site.