Embargoed until 10:45am – 19 May 2008
Relaxed lifestyle draws migrants to New Zealand
The relaxed pace of life or lifestyle had been identified as the most common reason for permanent migrants to choose New
Zealand as their new home, Statistics New Zealand said today. The results of the first wave of interviews in the
Longitudinal Immigration Survey: New Zealand (LisNZ) suggests that after lifestyle (at 44.1 percent), the climate or
clean, green environment (39.6 percent) and the desire to provide a better future for their children (39.0 percent) came
second and third, respectively, as the most common reasons to choose New Zealand.
Six months after gaining permanent residence, 92.5 percent of migrants indicated that they were satisfied or very
satisfied with life in New Zealand. Nearly the same percentage (92.2 percent) reported that they plan to stay in New
Zealand for three years or more while 5.4 percent were not sure at that point in time.
Most migrants (85.7 percent) had spent time in New Zealand prior to gaining permanent residence and over half (54.6
percent) had been employed in New Zealand before. At the time of the interview, 94.9 percent of skilled principal
migrants were in the labour force. Less than two percent (1.9) of skilled principal migrants in the labour force were
seeking work. For those who reported difficulties in finding employment the most commonly reported obstacle was lack of
New Zealand work experience (17.5 percent). Most migrants (69.2 percent) however, reported that they did not experience
difficulties in finding work.
Permanent migrants generally had a high level of English language ability (86.5 percent), either reporting English as
the language they speak best (59.3 percent) or having good or very good English language skills (27.2 percent).
Sixty-seven percent (67.0) of migrants aged 16 years and over held a post-school qualification, and nearly half (47.4
percent) held an advanced vocational qualification or university degree. These numbers are higher for skilled migrants
at 80.1 percent and 58.1 percent, respectively.
Geoff Bascand
Government Statistician
19 May 2008
ENDS