Wanted: Thousands more immigrants
Canterbury needs more people. Thousands more people. The local population will be insufficient to meet future workforce needs as the baby boomer generation retires and the school leaver cohorts become smaller due to lower birth rates.
Some forecasts estimate the region will have a workforce gap of 73,500 by 2031. That equates to a lot of employers short of the workers they need.
We need more skilled people to help drive economic growth if we want our region to prosper, which means we need immigration policies that enable those with skills in short supply to stay in New Zealand and work after they study.
Bridging this workforce gap will require a net migration of 6500 every year and that’s just to maintain historic economic growth rates, let alone grow our economy.
This is why proposed changes to immigration settings for international students have potential to do more harm than good in Canterbury.
Blunt immigration policy is the wrong tool to address the Government’s concerns about the quality of international education.
Instead, post-study work rights should align with our national skills shortage, to ensure our country attracts and retains the right talent.
International education connects our city with the best and brightest global talent by developing a pool of students who are trained and immersed in New Zealand’s culture and way of work.
International education is also a major part of our local economy. Canterbury is home to three public tertiary institutions and at least 14 private training establishments that deliver high-quality international education.
In 2016, there were 11,428 students in Canterbury from 72 different countries, bringing a total estimated economic value add to the region of
$310 million.
Up to 41 per cent of international graduates aspire to stay and work after they complete their study, while 2016 data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment shows that
43 per cent of skilled migrant applicants were previously on a student visa in New Zealand.
We also know that 60 per cent of all fee-paying students are visited by a friend or family each year, which drives traffic to our local tourism businesses during quieter times.
Friends and family who are visiting students spend an estimated $3600 per visit, significantly more than the average tourist spend.
Canterbury benefits from an additional tourism spend of about $17m per year off the back of international education.
Post-study immigration enables overseas students to contribute the skills New Zealand needs. However, this will not be achieved by the proposed changes, which apply a one-size-fits-all approach to policy regarding their work rights.
By enabling our regulatory bodies to address issues of quality education and empowering the Labour Inspectorate to address the issue of workplace exploitation, we can ensure our reputation as a provider of quality education.
To do otherwise could damage our reputation internationally and undermine some of the benefits from international education.
Not everyone reads the fine print, so changes to immigration policy sends a signal to all prospective students that New Zealand is closing its borders.
Changing work rights and other visa requirements for international students could also lead to overseas agents referring students to competitors such as Australia and Canada.
Business success can often be further supported by the connections, cultural insights and talent of people who choose to move to Christchurch and explore the opportunities the city offers.
Canterbury benefits from an additional tourism spend of about $17m per year off the back of international education.