Skilled Brits have been queuing to get into an expo on immigrating to New Zealand.
By the time the doors opened at the Opportunities New Zealand Expo in Manchester late last month there was already long queue, says Kylie Barker, marketing manager of Working In, the company organising the event. Working In was set up in 1998 to help people find out about new opportunities down under and to help overseas Kiwis return home.
The expo moved from Manchester to London the following week. Final visitor numbers are yet to be released but on-line ticket pre-sales predicted around 5000 attending. Johannesburg will be the next city to welcome the event, on September 18 and 19.
The British events were tremendous success for New Zealand employers, says Barker. “They attracted high-calibre migrants with the skills that New Zealand needs. “Nearly third of the visitors who said they intended to move to New Zealand held Bachelors degree, and 17 percent held trades qualification. Additionally, 17 percent of the migrants had Masters or PhD.
“Visitors to the expo were more than just curious about New Zealand, rather they were fully committed to making the move,” says Barker.
Two-thirds of visitors said they would move within the next 12 months, and quarter believed their move would happen within the next one to two years.
Working In’s director Hayley Roberts says: “The impact of the recession is still being felt in the UK and our expos show that people are more interested than ever in moving. Skilled migrants consider New Zealand prime destination, for its lifestyle and opportunities.”
On the web: www.expo-newzealand.com
