Census New Zealand: Signs of a welcome change
The latest New Zealand census show winds of change. Asians are supposed to overtake the Maori in a decade if the current trend of growth continues. Hindi is now the fourth most common language after English, Maori, and Samoan. Other trends include Kiwis are still lagging behind the rest of the World when it comes to new technology, and unemployment rates have increased.
The change in the migration trend is however noteworthy. Since the officially White New Zealand policy was discarded in favour of more open migration policies in the 1980s, New Zealand came a long way.
The Statistics New Zealand Census records show:
• Almost 1 out of 8 people living in New Zealand identified themselves as being of Asian ethnicity (471,711 people) on Census night, up from about 1 in 11 in 2006. Nearly two-thirds of Asian people (307,233) lived in the Auckland region, where more than 1 in 5 people were of Asian ethnicity.
• Asia was the most common region of birth for people born overseas. The percentage of overseas-born people living in New Zealand who were born in Asia has been increasing, rising to 31.6 percent of overseas –born people in 2013.
• Of those born overseas, the People’s Republic of China was the second most common country of birth (89,121 people), behind England (215,589 people). India was the third most common country of birth (67,176 people), ahead of Australia (62,712 people).
• Hindi was the fourth most common language in New Zealand, behind English, Maori and Samoan. Census figures also show a growth in the number of speakers of Chinese languages and Tagalog.
This is a welcome change.
The fact that one can now proudly say that Auckland is a global melting pot of different cultures can be attributed to the decades old fight for immigration reforms. Today, one can have a date in a Chinese Garden, have a quick Sushi during mid-day lunch break, and visit a Tandoori joint for a quick takeaway home for dinner. The contributions towards arts and culture, music, films, cuisine, education, and a lot more fields are praiseworthy, and are finally getting its due.
Research shows that changing trends in migration fosters a liberal thought process, an understanding towards multiculturalism, one which helps a young nation grow intellectually and materially. The various investments in business by various migrant communities, especially Asians and Indians help the economy of the region. It gives people more choice, it improves efficiency.
The different and diverse workforce improves in the labour mobility, generates wealth and builds capital. Most importantly, this intermingling of cultures gives rise towards an inclusive and tolerant society.
However, a lot more needs to be done. One can observe that migrant workforce is still not assimilated properly in the society and the distribution of high end jobs still monopolized among specific ethnicity. There are stories when a highly qualified migrant from India or China, with double, triple masters including one from a local university, and with a number years of work experience were denied jobs in big Kiwi organizations, just because they have a different sounding name. Due to lack of transparency in the selection procedures no one can raise a finger against these practices, however one can assume the institutional racism, bias and discrimination that is practiced with impunity.
Also Visa and work permit reforms are well overdue. There are working holiday visa schemes for citizens of Europe and North America, but not from India. New Zealand is losing a massive qualified talent pool that can come and work here in IT and other sectors where India is a world leader and New Zealand can have more tourists as well which will again improve the economy. Indians can also have valuable foreign work experience abroad, and do a little bit of backpacking; an experience everyone should have. Having common shared commonwealth history, New Zealand and India could be natural partners. We know Australia is making Hindi a compulsory language in schools, New Zealand can also follow that.
Well begun is half done. It is a good thing that New Zealand is showing signs of change, and maturity and slowly understanding the benefits of more proper, legal, educated migration. Hopefully this trend will continue, for a mutually beneficial future.
The latest New Zealand census show winds of change. Asians are supposed to overtake the Maori in a decade if the current trend of growth continues. Hindi is now the fourth most common language after English, Maori, and Samoan. Other trends include Kiwis are still lagging behind the rest of the...
The latest New Zealand census show winds of change. Asians are supposed to overtake the Maori in a decade if the current trend of growth continues. Hindi is now the fourth most common language after English, Maori, and Samoan. Other trends include Kiwis are still lagging behind the rest of the World when it comes to new technology, and unemployment rates have increased.
The change in the migration trend is however noteworthy. Since the officially White New Zealand policy was discarded in favour of more open migration policies in the 1980s, New Zealand came a long way.
The Statistics New Zealand Census records show:
• Almost 1 out of 8 people living in New Zealand identified themselves as being of Asian ethnicity (471,711 people) on Census night, up from about 1 in 11 in 2006. Nearly two-thirds of Asian people (307,233) lived in the Auckland region, where more than 1 in 5 people were of Asian ethnicity.
• Asia was the most common region of birth for people born overseas. The percentage of overseas-born people living in New Zealand who were born in Asia has been increasing, rising to 31.6 percent of overseas –born people in 2013.
• Of those born overseas, the People’s Republic of China was the second most common country of birth (89,121 people), behind England (215,589 people). India was the third most common country of birth (67,176 people), ahead of Australia (62,712 people).
• Hindi was the fourth most common language in New Zealand, behind English, Maori and Samoan. Census figures also show a growth in the number of speakers of Chinese languages and Tagalog.
This is a welcome change.
The fact that one can now proudly say that Auckland is a global melting pot of different cultures can be attributed to the decades old fight for immigration reforms. Today, one can have a date in a Chinese Garden, have a quick Sushi during mid-day lunch break, and visit a Tandoori joint for a quick takeaway home for dinner. The contributions towards arts and culture, music, films, cuisine, education, and a lot more fields are praiseworthy, and are finally getting its due.
Research shows that changing trends in migration fosters a liberal thought process, an understanding towards multiculturalism, one which helps a young nation grow intellectually and materially. The various investments in business by various migrant communities, especially Asians and Indians help the economy of the region. It gives people more choice, it improves efficiency.
The different and diverse workforce improves in the labour mobility, generates wealth and builds capital. Most importantly, this intermingling of cultures gives rise towards an inclusive and tolerant society.
However, a lot more needs to be done. One can observe that migrant workforce is still not assimilated properly in the society and the distribution of high end jobs still monopolized among specific ethnicity. There are stories when a highly qualified migrant from India or China, with double, triple masters including one from a local university, and with a number years of work experience were denied jobs in big Kiwi organizations, just because they have a different sounding name. Due to lack of transparency in the selection procedures no one can raise a finger against these practices, however one can assume the institutional racism, bias and discrimination that is practiced with impunity.
Also Visa and work permit reforms are well overdue. There are working holiday visa schemes for citizens of Europe and North America, but not from India. New Zealand is losing a massive qualified talent pool that can come and work here in IT and other sectors where India is a world leader and New Zealand can have more tourists as well which will again improve the economy. Indians can also have valuable foreign work experience abroad, and do a little bit of backpacking; an experience everyone should have. Having common shared commonwealth history, New Zealand and India could be natural partners. We know Australia is making Hindi a compulsory language in schools, New Zealand can also follow that.
Well begun is half done. It is a good thing that New Zealand is showing signs of change, and maturity and slowly understanding the benefits of more proper, legal, educated migration. Hopefully this trend will continue, for a mutually beneficial future.
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