New Zealand plans to reset its immigration policy, cutting the number of overall immigrants, particularly low-skilled migrants, when it reopens its borders following the coronavirus pandemic, the government said.

At the same time, the country of 5 million would look to attract more highly skilled workers as well as rich investors, Tourism and Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash said late on Monday (May 17).

New Zealand’s net migration fell to just 6,600 in the year to end-March {snip}

“When our borders fully open again, we can’t afford to simply turn on the tap to the previous immigration settings,” Nash said in a speech.

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The high number of temporary workers also meant businesses had been able to rely on lower-skilled labour and suppress wages rather than investing in plant or employing and training New Zealanders, he said.

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