Another update about migrants in NZ - from NZ Herald

[Pulsarblu]

[b:9e3b3fdf36]Driving, costs shock migrants [/b:9e3b3fdf36]

16.02.06
By Julie Middleton


Immigrants don't like our driving habits and cannot believe the cost of living.

But nearly all new immigrants would tell others to join them in New Zealand, saying the country's natural beauty, relaxed pace of life and friendly people made their Kiwi experience special.

The insight comes from Skilled Migrants: A Study of Settlement Outcomes, by Ruth Wallis, a Department of Labour senior research analyst. The survey encompasses 2060 skilled and business immigrants, who were polled three to 12 months after their arrival.

A total of 93 per cent were satisfied with their lives in New Zealand.

Most immigrants - 79 per cent - were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their jobs, and 81 per cent were happy with their housing.

But of the 94 per cent who would recommend a move here, just 55 per cent would do so "with enthusiasm", 39 per cent attaching "reservations".

Although the study did not outline what those reservations would be, immigrants listed the high cost of housing, living and healthcare among "their shocks and surprises".

Englishwoman Jennifer Barnes, who arrived in Auckland on January 3, says she can relate to the survey's main findings.

Aged 25, in New Zealand on a talent visa, flatting in Parnell and working as a product development technician for manufacturer Tasti, she has found people friendly and helpful and the environment attractive, but was "shocked" by the cost of doctors' visits.

In England, doctors' appointments are free, and although she knew medical visits here attracted costs, she had never got around to finding out what they were before arriving.

She has also found driver behaviour alarming: "They are terrible! Cutting people up, driving slowly in the fast lane and not indicating."

Rita Zhang, from China, has been in New Zealand for the past year and a half. She likes the natural beauty, the environment and the relaxed life style, enough to want to have a career here.


New Zealand - Pros and cons

Likes
* Climate, natural beauty, clean environment (selected by 85 per cent).
* Friendly people and relaxed lifestyle (79 per cent).
* Recreation and leisure activities (65 per cent).
* Safety from crime and violence (59 per cent).
* Low population density (54 per cent).

Dislikes
* Distance from home (40 per cent).
* Bad driving/lack of road safety (35 per cent).
* Poor public transport (32 per cent).
* Poor quality of housing (22 per cent).
* High cost of living (22 per cent).
* Complicated tax system (19 per cent).

[Daisyspop]

I guess the press are consistent throughout the world. That headline hardly prepares you for the read does it? More accurately it should have been upbeat rather than down. " 93% of immigrants happy with NZ" for instance.[quote:318d86a2cb]But of the 94 per cent who would recommend a move here, just 55 per cent would do so "with enthusiasm", 39 per cent attaching "reservations".
[/quote:318d86a2cb] Just 55% - that's over half isn't it? And just how serious are the reservations given that 93% were happy?
Just no pleasing some folk.

[selchie]

I suppose "recommending with reservations" could include warning people about the cost of living, rather than just giving NZ a rave review. I know that that is one thing we seriously considered, and wouldn't want it to be a rude awakening for anyone considering the move.

[MotherBear]

Why don't they save themselves some money and read all these forums instead of conducting surveys? All the information they need is in there. A good form of entertainment as well :icon_biggrin: .

[jamesthecarman]

[quote:3126a5b29c="Mother Bear"]Why don't they save themselves some money and read all these forums instead of conducting surveys? All the information they need is in there. A good form of entertainment as well :icon_biggrin: .[/quote:3126a5b29c]

Agreed. And then maybe Al Sheepa can gain more members than just me! :icon_wink:

[Pulsarblu]

With all the tips one can find on this forum, we would have save a lot of money in the long term.

:icon_biggrin:

pulsarblu

[MotherBear]

[color=blue:9ee0a697e9]More along the same lines.[/color:9ee0a697e9]

[b:9ee0a697e9]Bad drivers, health costs annoy immigrants[/b:9ee0a697e9]
17 February 2006
By DAN EATON

The cost of health services and bad Kiwi driving are among the biggest gripes that immigrants to New Zealand have, a new survey shows. The Department of Labour survey of more than 2000 people assessed skilled migrants six to 12 months on and showed more than 90 per cent were still glad to call New Zealand home. However, about 12 per cent found discrimination or attitudes to migrants problematic.

"In a time of skill shortage and low unemployment it is important not only to attract new migrants but to make sure their settlement experiences are positive," said the department's deputy secretary of workforce, Mary Anne Thompson. She said efforts to make sure migrants fit in quickly were key to them becoming contributors to the economy.

A department spokeswoman said officials had just launched a three year study into the economic impacts of migration. The most recent data measuring the fiscal impact of migrants dates from 2002. That data showed migrants had a positive net fiscal impact, contributing $1.7 billion to the economy, despite the Government spending more than $4b on them, including benefits and health care.

Only two new migrant groups, Asians and Pacific Islanders, had a negative fiscal impact in their first five years. However, that quickly changed over time, emphasising the need to help them assimilate quickly.

The new survey of skilled migrants showed 84% were in paid employment or working for profit. A slightly lower 79 per cent were satisfied with their jobs and 8 per cent were not happy. The high cost of housing came as a nasty shock for 52 per cent of migrants, as did the high cost of living for 44 per cent. About 36 per cent lived in Auckland, with Canterbury 18 per cent, Waikato 10 per cent and Wellington 7 per cent.

There were 60 nationalities represented, and by far the largest group were British, totalling 56 per cent. Others included South Africans (8 per cent), Chinese (5 per cent), Indians (4 per cent), South Koreans (4 per cent), Americans (3 per cent), Germans (2 per cent), Zimbabweans (2 per cent), and Filipinos (2 per cent).

Migrants most disliked the geographical distance from their homes (40 per cent). Bad driving or road safety, and the cost of health services were also cited (35 per cent).

"Some of the costs, food items, are more expensive," said Neelesh Kinnerkar, 27, an Indian engineer working at the Christchurch research and development unit of Navman New Zealand. "But if I compare Kiwi to Indian driving, it is much, much better I reckon," he chuckled. Kinnerkar said that before moving to New Zealand friends had warned him of racism, but that so far he had not experienced any. Other gripes identified in the survey included: public transportation (32 per cent), quality of housing (22 per cent), the cost of living (22 per cent) and the tax system (19 per cent). But overall, 93 per cent of migrants were either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with living in New Zealand.

Lifestyle featured highly when migrants were asked why they chose New Zealand.

[netchicken]

Pffff .. all those bad drivers are infact immigrants unused to the roads!

This article is probably biased towards Auckland and not neceriy reflective of peoples experiences in the rest of NZ.