Migrants benefitting NZ financially

[MotherBear]

We come in useful for something, then!

Migrants put $3.3b into economy
NZPA | Tuesday, 2 October 2007

New migrants put $3.3 billion into New Zealand last financial year, the Government said today.

Immigration Minister David Cunliffe said they contributed $8.1 billion in income tax, GST and excise duties in the year to June, far outweighing the $4.8 billion spent on them for education, health and welfare.

The figures are in a report, The Fiscal impacts of Immigration, which makes a comparison with 2003.

In that year, there was a net fiscal impact of $1.7 billion.

Mr Cunliffe said the 35 per cent increase was evidence that migrants were making a strong contribution to the economy and the policies were attracting the migrants the country needed.

"We are building up a picture of just how much immigration contributes to the wellbeing of all New Zealanders," he said.

"We know that in general employers are impressed with the performance of their migrant staff, and we know that most migrants are happy to be here and say they would recommend New Zealand to friends and family overseas."

Mr Cunliffe said the report used the latest census data which showed New Zealand had a migrant population of almost one million.

Economically, Auckland got the biggest boost from migrants because 45 per cent of them lived there, he said.

"But over time migrants move out of Auckland and Christchurch and spread around New Zealand."

From here .