NEW ZEALAND - Migrants Welcome

The New Zealand government said it was introducing two new pathways for migrants to gain residency as part of their efforts to boost the country’s economy.

Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis said in the statement that skilled and experienced migrants play an important role in plugging workforce gaps, and in turn help businesses to grow.

“Businesses told us it was too hard for some migrants to gain residence, even when they had crucial skills and significant experience that was not available in the existing workforce. We’re fixing it,” she said.

New Zealand’s economy has been struggling having seen negative growth in three of the last five quarters and the government has been introducing a number of policies aimed at supporting it, including boosting foreign investment in the country.

While the country’s net migration has remained positive, it has come off the highs seen following the reopening of the borders in 2022 as a historically high number of New Zealanders leave.

Government coalition partner New Zealand First said it does not support the policy.

-www.reuters.com, 22 September 2025

Commentary: New Zealand is one of the world’s super-successful, rich nations with a high life expectancy of 82.9 years and a $48,200 per capital GDP (2024).

This did not go over well with New Zealand’s copy-cat “New Zealand First.” Yet population growth stands at 0.95.

The population of only 5.2 million people is divided mainly between 64.1% European, 16.5% Māori (natives), with 4.9% Chinese, 4.7% Indian, and 3.9% Samoan.

Like all colonial countries, they are faced with the challenge of Indigenous people continuously claiming compensation. But as history shows, they have little to no chance for significant reparations.

One thing has become abundantly clear: New Zealand needs more people. and “New Zealand First” is apparently not helping.

Religiously, they are 37.3% Christian (Catholic 10%, Evangelical 6.8%, Presbyterian 5.2%).

As previously mentioned in this column, the good news for the Church is that a significant number of foreigners are finding the Lord and are being integrated into the body of Christ. Pray for the Church in New Zealand.