2016 Sets New Records For Migration Into New Zealand!

Happy New Year! and what a year 2016 has been. New Zealand continues to be a popular country for people looking to live in search of a high quality of life with migration hitting new records last year.

A strong New Zealand economy is continuing to provide immigrants with plenty of opportunities with unemployment for the third quarter of 2016 falling to its lowest since 2008 . Events throughout the world last year have also had a big impact with the recent Brexit leading to uncertainty over the future implications for the future of Britain and then the election of Donald Trump dividing the US. The immediate effect of these events was felt by New Zealand immigration, with visa and residency enquires from these countries increasing dramatically.

For 2017 the high levels of migration show no immediate sign of slowing, however changes at the end of 2016 to the immigration policy did see the bar moved higher requiring applicants under the skilled migrant category to achieve 160 points instead of the previous 100-140. The aim of this change is to prioritise access for higher-skilled migrants. Ensuring future migration is controlled in a manner that benefits New Zealand is going to be crucial and could mean further changes coming in the year ahead so watch this space.

To plan your future and achieve your visa goals contact Easy Visa today.

From the team at Easy Visa, we wish everyone a prosperous and happy year ahead!

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