Migration Trends 2005/06
Migration Trends 05/06 report - december 2006
Skilled/Business Stream
Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) applications were prioritised in 2005/06 and additional places were made available in the NZRP for skilled migrants. Changes to the SMC selection mechanism in December 2005 gave priority to highly skilled migrants and those with a skilled job or offer. There were 27,539 people approved through the SMC in 2005/06. Seventy-five percent of SMC principal applicants had a skilled job or offer, many had work experience or qualifications in an area of absolute skill shortage, and over half claimed bonus points for employment outside of the Auckland region.
The UK was the largest source country of SMC approvals (41 percent), followed by South Africa (12 percent) and China (11 percent). A growing number of Chinese students are applying for residence through the SMC after gaining New Zealand qualifications. This has contributed to an increase in the number of young people (aged 20–29) approved through the SMC, an increase in the number of skilled migrants with New Zealand qualifications, and a decrease in the average size of skilled migrants’ families.
Application inflows through the Investor and Entrepreneur categories decreased in 2005/06. There were 538 people approved through the Investor Category and 2,902 approved through the Entrepreneur Category. Entrepreneur inflows have been high in recent years, but decreasing numbers of Long Term Business Visa (LTBV) holders since 2002 will mean fewer Entrepreneur Category migrants over the next 12 months. The rate of transition to residence for LTBV holders is high – 60 percent have gained permanent residence after holding their permit for at least three years, and most of these people (85 percent) were approved through the Entrepreneur Category.