Employing Migrants and Refugees: Potential benefits and challenges

Media Release

Immigration continues to be a vital component in building a skilled and knowledgeable workforce contributing towards economic growth in New Zealand.

Feedback from employment workshops held at the Auckland Regional Migrant Services (ARMS) indicate that newcomers to Auckland are experiencing difficulties with finding employment, a key priority in successfully establishing themselves in a new country.

The Auckland Regional Migrant Services Charitable Trust (ARMS) is a One-Stop-Shop-Centre for settlement related information. ARMS is a non-profit organisation which supports migrants and refugees to settle successfully in the Auckland Region.

In order to address the above, the Local Settlement Network (LSN) for Auckland City will be hosting an information sharing workshop on 20 May 2009 for service providers, community organisations, employers and migrants on the benefits of employing skilled migrants particularly in the current economic climate.

The Local Settlement Network is run under the Settlement Support New Zealand initiative, funded by the Department of Labour. It is coordinated by Bevan Chuang, the Settlement Support Coordinator for Auckland City.

Key guest speakers for this presentation includes Mr. Raymond Huo, Labour List MP, Mr. Mitchell Pham, Manager for AugeneHEALTH & AugenAsia and Mr. Arthur Chin, Head of Asian Banking for ANZ National Bank.

Huo arrived in New Zealand in 1994 from Beijing and is currently the Labour spokesperson on Law Commission, Statistics and Associate Spokesperson for Ethnic Affairs.

Pham arrived in New Zealand as a refugee from Vietnam in the early 1980s and established Augen in August 1993.

Chin relocated from Singapore 13 years ago, and has lived in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.

This is an opportunity to find out about the benefits of a diverse workforce and how the apparent risks of employing migrants and refugees can be managed effectively. It will also be an opportunity to direct questions to the presenters and to discuss the concerns you may have with others.

Details:
Date: Wednesday 20 May 2009, 10.00am – 1.00pm
Venue: Pioneer Women’s Hall – Corner of High Street & Freyberg Place – Auckland CBD
Lunch provided

ENDS

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