Almost one in 10 people in New Zealand are on a migrant visa

Property

Work visa numbers are rising strongly while residency visas are declining and student visas are almost flat, Greg Ninness reports

18th Sep 19, 7:50am by Greg Ninness

Almost one in 10 people living in New Zealand is here on a migrant visa, according to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

Based on Immigration NZ data which is collated by MBIE (Immigration NZ is under the MBIE umbrella), there were 466,113 people on migrant visas in this country at the end of August 2019.

Of those, 193,311 were on work visas, 186,741 were on residency visas and 84,552 were on student visas, with another 1509 whose status was not defined.

Statistics NZ estimates NZ’s population at 4,917,000, which means that 9.5% of the population could be in the country on migrant visas.

The actual number will be a little higher because MBIE only counts people on residency visas for the first five years of their stay. After that they are counted as NZ citizens for statistical purposes, regardless of whether or not they have citizenship.

Over the 10 year period from August 2009 to August 2019, the number of people on migrant visas increased by 31%, from 355,380 to 466,113.

Most of the increase was due to growth in the number of work and student visas being issued, while residence visas have remained reasonably flat.

In the 10 years from August 2009 to August 2019, the number of work visas issued increased from 87,138 a year to 193,311 a year (+122%). Student visas increased from 58,398 a year to 84,552 (+45%), while residence visas declined from 207,966 a year to 186,741 a year (-10%) over the same period. (See Graph 1 below which displays the trends by visa types).

In the month of August 2019, 21,303 work visas, 8727 student visas and 3030 residency visas were approved by Immigration NZ.

In the 12 months to the end of August 2019, 242,730 work visas were approved, up 5.0% on the previous 12 months, and 34,863 residency visas (-11% ) and 104,811 student visas (+0.4%) – see graphs 2,3 and 4 below for the annual trends.

The comment stream on this story is now closed.

Graph 1:

Source: MBIE

Graph 2:

Source: MBIE

Graph 3:

Source: MBIE

Graph 4:

Source: MBIE

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63 Comments

by Advisor | 18th Sep 19, 8:10am 1568751032

National had the permanent migration settings horribly wrong to the extent that when median wage thresholds were introduced in 2017, resident visa applications under skill category almost halved.
Let's see how big a demographic disaster the next global crisis will create when the system is left with hundreds of thousands of out-of-work chefs, waiters and baristas to look after.

by Davo36 | 18th Sep 19, 8:14am 1568751280

No mate, repeat after me: "We need lots of immigrants and we only let in scientists, engineers, construction workers and entrepreneurs".

You have to say this to yourself 100 times a day. Then it becomes a truism like "Foreign buyers make up only 3% of sales and so have no effect on the market."

by RickStrauss | 18th Sep 19, 9:07am 1568754433

Indeed. If you think that the hospitality sector is now staffed by low paid migrants in full time jobs rather than a mix of folk in part time and full time jobs...well, good sir, you're soundly mistaken. All NZ hospitality businesses would be perfectly viable if normal supply and demand were allowed to apply, yesiree!

by lastredact | 18th Sep 19, 8:17am 1568751464

This explains the rental crisis in Wellington.....

by Fritz | 18th Sep 19, 8:33am 1568752387

Yeah.
But it also explains that the impact of immigration on house prices is probably exaggerated, especially in recent years where a large chunk of the immigrant numbers have been work and student visas.
When I did a bit of advisory work for the government a year or so back I told them that the looming crisis was the private rental market. They weren't really listening.

by Advisor | 18th Sep 19, 9:05am 1568754314

If rents go up, one can expect a rise in investment activity in the housing market, ending in higher prices. Don't forget that rent is effectively the yield on housing investment.

by K.W. | 18th Sep 19, 12:21pm 1568766063

Rent is only the gross yield. Investors care about the net yield, as well as the amount of stress involved in managing a rental property. And while costs (rates, insurance) keep increasing and legislative compliance (insulation, healthy homes standard) becomes more onerous, taxes become punitive, and tenants become more difficult to manage (unable to recover unpaid rent, claim for damage, or evict them) - investors will continue to steer clear.

by lastredact | 18th Sep 19, 11:09am 1568761770

Fritz, will they ever listen?

by Fritz | 18th Sep 19, 12:45pm 1568767514

Nope. Based on my experience.

by Noncents | 18th Sep 19, 8:18am 1568751517

Those are some scary numbers.

by youngdumbandbroke | 18th Sep 19, 9:00am 1568754042

I wonder if there is any other country in the world with a higher percentage??

by Lapun | 18th Sep 19, 10:15am 1568758551

Some of the Gulf states.

by Lapun | 18th Sep 19, 10:16am 1568758617

by CJ099 | 18th Sep 19, 8:27am 1568752051

Talk about skewing the figures, how are the MBIE allowed to get away with this: "MBIE only counts people on residency visas for the first five years of their stay. After that they are counted as NZ citizens for statistical purposes, regardless of whether or not they have citizenship".

by CourtJester | 18th Sep 19, 9:34am 1568756089

It makes sense though. Many people (especially Chinese immigrants) will never apply for citizenship because they would lose their citizenship in their country of origin. The New Zealand permanent visa conveniently gives you pretty much the same rights in practice as citizenship. Would you call someone who's been living here for 20 years on a PR visa an immigrant or a citizen? What about an immigrant who has been here for 5 years and got citizenship? They are technically both immigrants, and in practice both are citizens.

by Glitzy | 18th Sep 19, 11:29am 1568762948

But here's the thing. Chinese folks don't revolk their home passports when they get one from a new country despite it being a legal requirement back home. The reason for this is that the Chinese govt turn a blind eye but always consider them Chinese nationals when they return home.

by SmoKey | 18th Sep 19, 1:43pm 1568771024

Some other countries which do not allow dual citizenship, monitor and take action against those who have obtained NZ citizenship but have not revoked the original one. I think they liaise with DIA, NZ.

by PocketAces | 18th Sep 19, 4:43pm 1568781795

Dual citizenship should only be for those who have genuine connections with both countries as in my niece's case, her father, my brother, and New Zealander and her mother, from Scandinavia and still a Scandinavian citizen. They are no longer together and both now live in their countries of birth. Niece has dual citizenship although the country she lives in frown on it.

by SmoKey | 18th Sep 19, 1:44pm 1568771049

Taking citizenship shows commitment, desire to stay and build a life here, family, education, investment for life, sense of belonging, etc. Whenever it is taken, doesn't matter.
Being on indefinite PR is just hedging one's bets and be ready to fly away at the sign of persistent trouble. If it is not converted to citizenship after a reasonable time, it matters, certainly, in a broader sense.
Even in this age of shrunken world, these things have meaning and value.

by KH | 18th Sep 19, 3:24pm 1568777057

Not acceptable MBIE. I think citizenship is important, it's a marker or who is who. And as a nationalist, I believe citizens should have distinct rights others don't.

by lastlegs | 18th Sep 19, 8:36am 1568752588

european countries with open borders must think we are crazy,they cant stop the migrants but we can dial it down.auckland airport feels claustrophobic now.used to be relaxing and now its a miniature heathrow.

by RickStrauss | 18th Sep 19, 9:12am 1568754761

This has happened in quite a few countries before New Zealand. We'll likely see the rise of populism in New Zealand as a result just as we have seen in those countries.

As an intermediary step we'll likely groups starting to speak out against such a staggeringly high immigration rate. These will be duly labelled Far Right and shouted down, regardless of their actual stripes.

Immigration is a good thing, but like cake, it's possible to have too much. And politicians should actually represent those who elect them. Two simple propositions.

by K.W. | 18th Sep 19, 12:23pm 1568766233

And because the majority of New Zealanders are white, they'll be called racists, labelled White Nationalists, and have their social media accounts deleted.

by Lapun | 18th Sep 19, 12:38pm 1568767089

Maori are silent - not sure why they like immigration - is it because most immigrants don't go to locations where Maori live?

by HeavyG | 18th Sep 19, 1:51pm 1568771480

Karma's a b*tch. Maori are laughing as whites get a mild dose of their own medicine, see how they like being the minority in 50 years. At least the immigrants are not stealing the land like the whites did.

by theglc | 18th Sep 19, 2:42pm 1568774541

problem is when a chinese or immigrant party takes power, what will the treaty of waiitangi mean to them? maybe they'll just lock the maori up in"re-education camps" like they do with the chinese muslims.....

by HeavyG | 18th Sep 19, 5:13pm 1568783613

Same as it means to whites... nothing. "prison" (pakeha) - "re-education camp" (chinese) - No change for Maori.

Will be a shock though for the whites who end up being "re-educated" now they are a minority also.

by K.W. | 18th Sep 19, 5:13pm 1568783626

The Chinese would just roll tanks through Ihumateo. Maori better not laugh too loud.

by Doris | 18th Sep 19, 3:21pm 1568776887

The [Maori] Council has called for a review of heritage, planning and migration policies in light of the Ihumātao land protest in Auckland.

"Then let's really look at the sustainability of a growing population that drives the sort of development we are seeing being proposed for places like Ihumātao," [executive director] Matthew Tukaki said in a statement on Sunday.

"When do we reach that tipping point? When do we say enough to the sort of migration flows we have been seeing in recent years and when is it we shut some of those working visa categories and spend more time trying to attract some of the more than half a million Kiwis to return home with their skills and cash in hand."
He elaborated on the statement on Breakfast on Monday, saying one of the driving forces behind the plans to develop Ihumātao, near Auckland Airport was "obviously the insatiable demand for housing".

"I'm not saying turn off the entire immigration tap... what we're talking about is let's have an honest conversation about what the population make up looks like, and to reasonably ask the question, 'if we can't afford to house current New Zealanders, if we can't afford the current health system, if we can't afford food for our children, and all these other things, why are we increasingly bringing even more people in?'"

It was on the Breakfast show. Host Jehan Casinader's response?

"That is a xenophobic dog whistle, Matthew, and I think you know that," he said.

by Basel Brush III | 23rd Sep 19, 4:24pm 1569212689

A Maori can say that realistically but with my just four generations of NZ heritage, I cannot.
Right now I can just think quietly.

by RickStrauss | 18th Sep 19, 8:27pm 1568795243

Don't think they are silent on it.

They may not be being listened to either, but they're not silent.

by Jarlaith | 21st Sep 19, 11:49am 1569023359

If it quacks like a duck ...

by Noncents | 18th Sep 19, 1:37pm 1568770665

"And politicians should actually represent those who elect them."

and therein lies the rub. You can enrol to vote in NZ if you are a:
- NZ Citizen

or if you are a
- NZ Permanent Resident (electoral commission deems this as anybody that does not have to leave by a specific date)
- Australian Citizen
- Niuean Citizen
- Tokelauan Citizen
- Cook Island's Citizen

source: https://www.vote.nz/enrol-to-vote/are-you-eligible-to-enrol-and-vote/

by SmoKey | 18th Sep 19, 1:46pm 1568771162

Crazy as, giving voting rights to non-citizens. Why are we persisting with this foolishness ? Time to write to your MP/PM/Dy PM/Gov General, etc...

by Noncents | 18th Sep 19, 3:02pm 1568775772

Yes, It really is simple.

Citizen = right to vote
Citizen = right to own property
Citizen = right to free healthcare
Citizen = right to free education
Citizen = right to welfare

Anything else is lunacy.

by Jarlaith | 21st Sep 19, 11:52am 1569023551

Good luck with that. I think you overestimate the value of NZ to immigrants. Perhaps if only citizens are required to taxes that would make your ethnocentric proposals slightly more palatable.

by Fritz | 18th Sep 19, 4:19pm 1568780344

Good luck with that writing to MPs, in terms of getting a response. Responses to my (polite and reasonable) correspondence has been very tardy or non-existent. And that is to both Labour MPs and National MPs.

by SmoKey | 18th Sep 19, 4:44pm 1568781873

I have emailed my MP and PM, let me see what the response is.

by SmoKey | 18th Sep 19, 9:20am 1568755219

'Of those, 193,311 were on work visas, 186,741 were on residency visas and 84,552 were on student visas, with another 1509 whose status was not defined.
Statistics NZ estimates NZ’s population at 4,917,000, which means that 9.5% of the population could be in the country on migrant visas'.

Really ? Not sure I understand this correctly. Only 84552 international students in NZ at the end of August 2019 ?
Doesn't sound much, does it. Same with people on work visas, only 193,311 ? I understand most of the spouses of those on student visas automatically get work visas...

How many of the total population are citizens ?
How many on Indefinite Residence visas ?
How many on work visas ? How many on student visas ?

Is there any break up available with Statistics NZ ? Even with no recent census, that would be an important information.

by K.W. | 18th Sep 19, 12:28pm 1568766488

How can there only be 84,000 people in the country on student visas, when 104,000 were issued in the last 12 months alone? Add in those who are part way through a 3-4 year course, and thats more like 300,000 in the country on student visas.

by Milkyone | 18th Sep 19, 3:39pm 1568777955

As I understand it, a ton of students come for one semester, or even one or two months.

Student Visas are not just for people doing full courses, but are also for those taking part in University exchanges etc, which are usually short.

by HouseHunter | 18th Sep 19, 9:54am 1568757252

Immigration changes announced yesterday should reduce the number of residency visa's issued

by Advisor | 18th Sep 19, 10:07am 1568758063

Or at least improve the skill level of primary applicants. Businesses in our 5 major cities will have to make a stronger case to sponsor migrants on salaries less than 104k.
I heard this from a friend last evening that INZ intends to check pay rates offered to migrant applicants in non-skill shortage roles against median rates for relevant occupation and experience. As a result, businesses in cities will either have to stop wage suppression or move to a regional centre to pay lower wages. Smart move provided it's executed as intended.

by Roger Witherspoon | 18th Sep 19, 10:30am 1568759452

Er, provided the applicants (employer and employer and agents) are not in fact highly skilled at evading the authorities. People from less democratic countries need to develop these skills to survive.

by Rolo | 18th Sep 19, 10:29am 1568759393

If it is of any consolation at all - 10+ years ago, Singapore immigration statistics is 1 out of 3. In 2017, it was 2.62 million out of 5.61 million (46.78%). In 2019, it is fair to estimate that immigrants constitute 1 in 2 of the population of 5.8 million. "Globalization"! - Love it or hate it. (Link: https://www.statista.com/statistics/698035/singapore-number-of-immigran… )

by RickStrauss | 18th Sep 19, 11:18am 1568762316

In Singapore temporary migration is actually temporary, by design as a commercial hub. There's no easy path to long term life in Singapore. I have friends who have migrated to New Zealand because they didn't have the option of staying for life in Singapore, despite being highly skilled and making a lot of money there.

by SmoKey | 18th Sep 19, 1:49pm 1568771389

Data collection on people is far more wide spread and monitoring is constant in Singapore.
They can spot the over stayers, non visa holders, etc very easily and take action.
Here, we don't even know how many of our population are citizens, right ?

by Advisor | 18th Sep 19, 2:32pm 1568773970

True. The city-state has a lot to offer for talented workers. I had the opportunity to attend a networking event hosted by McKinsey in Singapore a few months ago. They probably have more world top 20 university alumni on their payroll of 250 staff than those living and working in all of NZ.

And here we are, patting ourselves on the back by setting a threshold for "highly-paid" workers at 52k a year (33k USD).

by Camel's back | 18th Sep 19, 10:33am 1568759607

Almost one in 10 people living in New Zealand is here on a migrant visa... the other 9 just don't speak English.

by PocketAces | 18th Sep 19, 4:45pm 1568781901

That one in ten people, I wonder what the ratio would be if it were just the population of working age in the equation. My guess is the number would a lot higher

by Roger Witherspoon | 18th Sep 19, 10:34am 1568759643

It would be interesting to add the tourism numbers in, if the objective was to understand the demand pressure for accomodation. The lines between tourism accomodation, state housing, BnB and private rental no longer exists.

by Voiceofreason | 18th Sep 19, 10:57am 1568761031

This is very interesting in relation to the supposed housing shortage. If we look at Spain’s housing market boom and bust during the GFC. Spain imported a lot of migrant workers during the boom to fill capacity, creating more housing needs and fueling the boom further. It eventually went into reverse of course, many workers left as things deteriorated and the housing market collapsed, compounding the downturn. Just Google it to read more about that.

by ngakonui gold | 18th Sep 19, 11:29am 1568762967

Interesting or not interesting,Carie Lam the Hong Kong mouthpiece for the Chinese had to renounce her British Citizenship to get the job.
Her husband and children retain their British Citizenship.
When she loses favour with the CCP she will be staying right where she is but her family will be gone to join the Brexit or nobrexit country.

by The_4th_estate | 18th Sep 19, 12:52pm 1568767961

Boy oh boy those are enormous numbers, quite how anyone in Wellington thinks the Country can cope with being inundated like this must have rocks in their heads. Whats the plan going ahead...IS THERE ONE?

by scarfie | 18th Sep 19, 2:09pm 1568772555

When the time comes where resources become really thin, which is coming regardless of it being internally or externally driven, and we need to lose half a million people, then we'll find out just what the difference between permanent resident and citizen really is.

by Tui12 | 18th Sep 19, 6:10pm 1568787019

Ridiculous numbers truly ridiculous. What a travesty that this great country that my ancestors built is getting abused to this extent. My family like many own a lot of property and may have become very wealthy as a result but what a societal cost. Please for the love of god stop this madness. Is there anyone we can vote for that will?

by Lapun | 18th Sep 19, 7:01pm 1568790061

Politicians like that unearned wealth from property more than they care about their country.

by Rolo | 20th Sep 19, 10:17am 1568931467

Huh? In the last few decades the world has became globalized and borderless (Not just in NZ). Think about the Pakeha who migrated here and occupied the Maori land a few centuries ago. & then read about the NIMBYism today (https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/115946068/in-the-trenches-of-…), where the Maori are living on beaches because the "Have's" do not want to live next to the "Haves Not", and refused to have state houses built in Puriri Park. Classic. How can housing crisis ever be solved when construction companies are going bust and NIMBYism are allowed to have such a big say?

by The_4th_estate | 18th Sep 19, 8:24pm 1568795056

I really worry about how Maori are experiencing this. For instance, several of my friends from various iwi lost their lucrative transport contracts with Mainfreight (taken by minimum wage Indian drivers) and high paying telecommunications jobs with Telecom which then became Chorus which contracted out the once highly paid telecom technician jobs (which all seem to have been taken over by immigrants who as the media have highlighted were working for slave wages) its been devestating for them, who is reporting on that?

by RickStrauss | 18th Sep 19, 8:28pm 1568795335

who is reporting on that?

No one. That would be dismissed as xenophobic or Far Right.

by Lapun | 18th Sep 19, 8:42pm 1568796126

Our media and even the commenters on this informative website are middle-class. There is nobody standing up for our working class whether native born or immigrant.

by swapacrate | 19th Sep 19, 11:35pm 1568892908

They maybe middle class but where do they come from, I come a state house and lived in caravans for a few years.

But the beauty about NZ its not where you come from its who you are, especially when you live in the country, there is no class system. In the city the class system comes from where you live like Otara or Remuera. But in the country you all live in the same area and go to the same school. If your good at sports and at school plus you make friends from all different backgrounds.

by Lapun | 18th Sep 19, 8:50pm 1568796607