An OECD review of New Zealand’s labour migration policy has concluded that it is working well.
The review is the third of a series conducted by the OECD Secretariat since 2009 to assess whether our labour migration policy is effective in meeting labour market needs without adverse impacts, and whether the policy is efficient. The focus is specifically on discretionary labour migration – that is, those labour migration movements over which policy has direct, immediate oversight.
The OECD has noted that New Zealand has a longstanding history of immigration and its labour migration flows are among the largest in the OECD. More than one out of four persons in the workforce is foreign-born.
The report also notes that migrants are over-represented among the high-educated and their labour market outcomes are favourable in international comparison.
The OECD has made a number of policy recommendations, which the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will bear in mind when considering its future policy work programme.
