This is a question that was asked on the Trademe.co.nz community forum, a place where Kiwis gather to talk about every day issues. The responses on this thread are interesting, if you’re an intending migrant you may wish to read it:

“Why does Immigration NZ
Let people into N.Z to live here that say they are Dr’s, Teachers and other jobs that are needed here. But then that person won’t get the N.Z qualifications to do that job here and become Taxi drivers or other jobs instead that anyone in N.Z can do. Give them 6 months to get it or send them home packing.”

• And if it takes longer than 6 months to get equivalency? Send them home before they get a chance to complete it? Also many immigrants, in order to gain equivalency, and the ability to practise here have a LOT of exams and tests to pass first- including english language exams.

• why not do these exams b4 they get here?

• Can’t. The whole point being that they are gaining NEW ZEALAND equivalency.

• cos a practicing certificate is what is needed – which they can only do here…

• Has to be done through (in the case of Nursing for example) through a Department of Nursing, in a NEW ZEALAND training institution.

• they wont fix it if it aint broke….until someone commits an offence with that resident status and embarrases the government to change the rules…

• they let them in if they have alot of money too,i heard.

• Yes they do but its a few million they need and must invest it for 5 years. got nothing wrong with this it’s the ones who come to do one thing and never do that job

• what about the ones who come here and marry someone just to get their papers,take student loans and dont pay it back,we have one of those ones at work.then go on a bene cause they cant be bothered working.

• One thing that sticks in my craw, is that foreigners have to have one members of migrating family able to speak English and often it is a young child. Due to a childs immaturity and lack of life experience communication is still virtually impossible. I have personal experience of a Korean Family buying a Motel, they put an answerphone on and expected prospective clients to book after their daughter came home from school.Naturally it went down the gurgler.

• “Let people into N.Z to live here that say they are Dr’s, Teachers and other jobs that are needed here. But then that person won’t get the N.Z qualifications to do that job here and become Taxi drivers or other jobs instead that anyone in N.Z can do. Give them 6 months to get it or send them home packing.” What?
  You think it is ok to lure a medical doctor here that had his practice in Germany (for example) for 20 years – only to tell him that his expertise is not good enough and he needs to study another 5 years or he won’t be registered? I reckon NZ needs to check what it is doing … not the overseas specialists …Or do you dis-agree???

• but do you want to have a doctor or surgeon looking after you that hasnt passed our exams if they dont how do we know they were even a real medical person?

• “I have personal experience of a Korean Family buying a Motel, they put an answerphone on and expected prospective clients to book after their daughter came home from school.Naturally it went down the gurgler.” Great and so it should be! If people are not interested in the country they immigrate to – tough luck!

The rules are all set out in that little booklet they get when they say mmmmmmm New Zealand looks a good place to live. If they dont like our rules dont come.