Here
are the same eight questions from exercise 4.4. They come from an interview
about migration to New Zealand. Now
you have the answers to the questions - but there are two answers below for each
question. Click on the one you think is the real answer to the question.
The other one is written in correct English, but just doesn't answer the
question.
Why do migrant numbers fluctuate
so much from year to year?
New
Zealanders should not be too surprised by this steady increase in numbers
of migrants, since similar situations exist in Britain, the US, Canada and
Australia. Increased mobility, educational opportunities and the ever
increasing number of English speakers worldwide mean that even
geographically distant corners of the world can expect regular rises in
the numbers of skilled migrants reaching their shores.
There are a number of push and pull factors involved which will always
lead to variation from year to year. Apart from the economic position in
the home countries and in
New Zealand, there is also the international situation for instance, changes in
migration policy in countries such as Canada
and
Australia
tend to have a knock-on effect here. Student numbers also have an effect,
as a quarter of people who come here to study end up staying on as
permanent residents.
Is
the overall
New Zealand
population expected to remain stable
over the next century?
In common with most developed countries, this century looks like
becoming relatively stable in overall population terms. New Zealand
s population is expected to peak at about 4.64 million before 2050
before declining to about 4.24 million by the end of the century. However,
this stability will not be nationwide. The Auckland
region can expect continued expansion, while certain areas will face a
sharp decline especially in the younger population.
Instability
has been a feature of New Zealand demographics for over a hundred years
now. Both internal and external factors have contributed to these changes.
Internal factors include cultural, political and economic issues.
Externally, economic and political factors have had a fundamental impact
on changes in migration.
Is
New Zealand
managing to retain its brightest
young people in an increasingly globalised market?
Given the large numbers of New Zealanders abroad at any one time, this is
a rather difficult question to answer. In the long term, most of them opt
to return home. However, the number of New Zealanders opting to live and
work in
Australia
continues to climb up towards half a million and this is a concern for
some.
It's
extremely difficult to foresee the role of young people in the kind of
globalised and fast-changing environment of the new century. One thing is
very clear, however. Education, more than ever, will play an increasingly
key role and is less and less likely to be seen as a 'once-and-forever'
option. Continuing education will certainly be the norm both here and
overseas.
How does New Zealand
regulate migration?
The
principal means of regulating migration are internet and print
advertising, sponsorship of events and trade fairs and - in particular -
word-of-mouth. A high proportion of migrants already know someone
who's been here or even migrated here and that seems a particularly strong
factor in their own decision to migrate.
As you might expect, considerable efforts are to select those people
who we feel can make the maximum contribution to our society. The website http://www.immigration.govt.nz/
pretty much sets out the whole policy and even provides a quick points
test. However, the actual points total is raised or lowered in order to
match the supply of skills migrants to the demand for their skills in
specific sectors of New Zealand society.
Do most
migrants feel their quality of life has been enhanced
since moving to New Zealand
?
Yes,
unfortunately, the message that comes across from most new migrants is the
difficulty of finding suitable employment. There are still too many cases
of engineers and professors driving cabs or working in shops because they
can't work in the sector for which they are qualified. And not just as a
short-term, stop-gap measure, particularly for those migrants who have
families to support.
The
research suggests the experience of new migrants is overwhelmingly
positive. In a recent survey, 93% chose the overall quality of life as the
thing they were happiest about, with schooling, jobs and accommodation
also scoring highly. Some did have a few complaints, however, including
being far away from their families.
What major
demographic changes is New Zealand
expected to undergo over the next fifty years?
Auckland is expected to continue its steady growth, becoming
increasingly dominant. Natural increase will continue to account for much
of this growth, though migration will be an important factor in regional
'hotspots', such as Browns Bay and Albany. Given Auckland's
increasing population and size, infrastructure, such as transport and
housing, is likely to remain the top political issue in the city.
Like
all developed countries, the ageing population will have a significant
effect on our society. This will strike New Zealand a bit later than other
countries like Japan, but, to give you just one example, the over 85s will
increase by six times over the next fifty years, reaching nearly a quarter
of a million people.
What
is done to monitor the welfare and
lifestyles of new migrants?
The
government has launched a major survey of new migrants which will attempt
to provide more comprehensive data than ever before. A team of researchers
will interview migrants regularly in their homes to track every aspect of
their new lives in order to provide better information and support to
new migrants in the future.
There's a great diversity in the lifestyles of new migrants. Many
families become involved in the local social life through school and the
workplace. There are also local support networks, though these also vary
considerably from community to community.
Do you think its
likely that New Zealand
will revise its migration policy substantially over the next decade?
Yes,
it seems inevitable that the current policy will remain for the
foreseeable future. The points system has been carefully designed to meet
the needs of the New Zealand economy and, indeed, has been a model for
other countries, such as the UK.
Revisions
are constantly being made, for economic and political reasons. A couple of
years ago, the English language level for new migrants was raised, for
instance. Demand for particular types of employees in different areas varies
from year to year and this is reflected in the points required for skilled
migrants in those areas.