What's the point of immigration?

[McDuck]

It's pretty clear that the Government (John and Bill) are keen on immigration.

People trying to buy houses less keen (increased competition and higher prices).
People in Auckland stuck in traffic jams or waiting in lines or trying to find parking, also less keen.

So why is this government not solving a supply and demand issue from both the supply and demand ends similtaniously?

Why are they so desperate to pump in people at any cost?

[Nick G]

Because there is about to be an awful lot more retired people than there used to be.

[McDuck]

You mean the effects of the sixties contraceptive pill and medical advances?

[Bobsyouruncle]

As boomers retire we are heading for a chronic workforce shortage. I was talking about it more than 10 years ago. Govt is doing what needs to be doe so we don't have a real problem and have to let in planeloads of undesirables.
That's why this boom was so, so obviously coming, we just didn't know exactly when!

[artemis]

So, which groups would you stop?

A good summary from Kiwiblog:

Net migration has almost hit 69,000, a huge turnaround from 2011 and 2012 when net migration was in fact negative.
Most people think it would be good to reduce this while infrastructure catches up, but the nature of net migration makes this challenging.
People leaving NZ have dropped by around 32,000 a year from 88,000 to 56,000
NZers returning to NZ have increased by around 9,000 from 22,000 to 31,000
Australians moving here have doubled from 5,000 to 10,000 a year

So around 46,000 of the increase in net migration is beyond government control and is a good thing – more Kiwis wanting to live in NZ, and Aussies moving here.

The other factor is arrivals (non NZ/Aus) have increased by 28,000 from 62,000 to 95,000. This is around 30% of the overall change in net migrations.

The increase in “foreign” arrivals is not in residency visas but almost equally (14,000 each) in student visas and work visas.
International students studying in NZ increase GDP by billions of dollars. Studying here does not grant residency. They do increase the strain on infrastructure, but if you turn down qualified applicants, you’ll impact economic growth. Most students visas are to students from India, China and the Phillipines.

The work visas have also increased by 14,000 since around 2012. There may be more room to tighten up eligibility here. But skill shortages could be a consequence. Also the majority of those on work visas are not from third world countries. The most common countries for those on work visas are:

UK 17%
France 9%
Germany 8%
Australia 8%
US 5%
Philippines 5%
China 4%
South Africa 4%
Canada 4%
Japan 3%

[McDuck]

Ha. 10% of each group to start. Just to be fair.

[PTILoveYou]

Look at Japan, negative population growth, negative economic growth.

Capitalism is like a pyramid scheme, you need more people to come in than people going out, to keep the game going upwards.

1/3 of NZ’s workforce are baby boomers. BB are starting to retire now, and this will accelerate over the coming years. We need immigrants to replace these workers, as we don't have enough in NZ, and also due to brain drain etc over the decades.

[Nick G]

Why let facts get in the way of a good moan.

So, which groups would you stop?

A good summary from Kiwiblog:

Net migration has almost hit 69,000, a huge turnaround from 2011 and 2012 when net migration was in fact negative.
Most people think it would be good to reduce this while infrastructure catches up, but the nature of net migration makes this challenging.
People leaving NZ have dropped by around 32,000 a year from 88,000 to 56,000
NZers returning to NZ have increased by around 9,000 from 22,000 to 31,000
Australians moving here have doubled from 5,000 to 10,000 a year

So around 46,000 of the increase in net migration is beyond government control and is a good thing – more Kiwis wanting to live in NZ, and Aussies moving here.

The other factor is arrivals (non NZ/Aus) have increased by 28,000 from 62,000 to 95,000. This is around 30% of the overall change in net migrations.

The increase in “foreign” arrivals is not in residency visas but almost equally (14,000 each) in student visas and work visas.
International students studying in NZ increase GDP by billions of dollars. Studying here does not grant residency. They do increase the strain on infrastructure, but if you turn down qualified applicants, you’ll impact economic growth. Most students visas are to students from India, China and the Phillipines.

The work visas have also increased by 14,000 since around 2012. There may be more room to tighten up eligibility here. But skill shortages could be a consequence. Also the majority of those on work visas are not from third world countries. The most common countries for those on work visas are:

UK 17%
France 9%
Germany 8%
Australia 8%
US 5%
Philippines 5%
China 4%
South Africa 4%
Canada 4%
Japan 3%

[PTILoveYou]

Most people just see the 69000 net migration and say wow that's too many people coming!

But they don't analyse the make up of these net migrants.

Most of them, especially from India and China, are overseas students.

Overseas students bring in money, so you want to stop that?

[Nick G]

If everybody said "f**k it" and kicked out all the foreigners, NZ's population would skyrocket by (guesstimate) more than Auckland's population.

[Bobsyouruncle]

We could keep the french out, only fair after "that" world cup.....

[McDuck]

NickG
Lol I'm intrigued, do go on.

[McDuck]

p.s. before y'all roll down this aging population road.

What do the stats say is the average age of Aucklands population?
How many are over 65 (maybe only 10%)?
How will immigration fix (what) problem?

And is this really John and Bill's true motivation?

[Nick G]

NickG
Lol I'm intrigued, do go on.

Well there are half a million kiwis in Sydney. There's a start.

Auckland had a chance 10-15 years ago to get ready for this, everybody knew it was coming. The city can still do it now, it's just a hell of a lot more expensive because all of the property the city needs to buy up to put in more roading and better rail is 3x as expensive.

[McDuck]

Well there are half a million kiwis in Sydney. There's a start.

Auckland had a chance 10-15 years ago to get ready for this, everybody knew it was coming. The city can still do it now, it's just a hell of a lot more expensive because all of the property the city needs to buy up to put in more roading and better rail is 3x as expensive.

And schools...hospitals...etc etc.
I was impressed how new teachers were taught to (some would say) bend the truth wile reporting.

For example a kid who sat there doing nothing but picking its nose all day would get this report.
Shows a keen interest in biology and exploration.
Superior abilities to pick a task and stick with it.
Grooming skills excellent.