Increasing employment demand in Christchurch and its surrounding areas has seen migration levels to the New Zealand region of Canterbury soar in the past year.
Christchurch, NZ (Image Source: www.telegraph.co.uk)
According to ASB Bank’s ‘Cantometer’, permanent and long-term arrivals into Canterbury were up by a staggering 77 per cent on year-ago levels in April, while departures had fallen to low levels and were down by 36 per cent from a year earlier.
In the past couple of years, the Canterbury region has been specifically targeting overseas immigrants with various skills – particularly in construction trades – in an effort to rebuild the region following a series of serious earthquakes.
Last year, the Canterbury Skill Shortage List was introduced, featuring in demand occupations for which a suitably skilled foreign worker with a job offer can receive a work permit without the need for a labour market check. There are currently over 30 (mainly construction-based) occupations included on the list.
“The number of full-time-equivalent employees has increased steadily over the March quarter and figures are now sitting above pre-earthquake levels,” said Nick Tuffley, Chief Economist at ASB Bank.