New Zealand loosens residency restrictions as record number of citizens leave
Guardian3 days
New Zealand Launches Residency Pathways Amid Record Emigration
Above: Nicola Willis and Christopher Luxon speak at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, on May 22, 2025. Image copyright: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
New Zealand's bold immigration reforms represent exactly the kind of forward-thinking policy needed in today's global economy. While other nations, like the U.S. under Trump, build walls and spread fear about migrants, New Zealand recognizes that skilled workers are the lifeblood of economic growth and innovation. These pathways will help businesses retain the talent they desperately need to compete globally.
Right narrative
The new pathways risk making New Zealand a mere stepping stone to Australia, where residency and citizenship can be used for faster entry. Workers are trained and supported only to depart once industries become reliant on them. Rather than relying on short-term immigration fixes, the focus should be on equipping young New Zealanders with skills that strengthen the domestic workforce.
Cynical narrative
The new policy continues a long trend of governments using migration as a cheap way to inflate GDP while avoiding serious investment in infrastructure. National, Labour and even NZ First under Winston Peters have relied on population growth without a plan to match housing, health or transport capacity. A credible strategy must end this magical thinking by linking migration to tax and funding decisions that pay for infrastructure.
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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.16.0
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.16.0