May 2012 News Archive
Archived Daily FX News from the TorFX Foreign Exchange Specialists...
More Australians moving to New Zealand27 May at 10 AMMore Australians have crossed the Tasman to live and work in New Zealand than vice versa for the first time in nearly a quarter-of-a-century. According to figures released by the New Zealand government last month saw net migration of 100 Australians into the country. Although the two countries have agreements with each other that mean...
Pension transfers to New Zealand face heavy tax charge22 May at 8 AMRetirees moving a pension from the UK to New Zealand when they emigrate could face a whopping 55 per cent tax bill because of pension freedoms. Under new rules pension schemes must prevent access to savings before a pension holder is 55 if they want to take the pension pot as cash. However, most schemes in New Zealand do not have such a...
Investment announced for immigration15 May at 7 AMThe number of immigration officers in New Zealand will be boosted as the government pledges to invest $33 million in the coming four years. Michael Woodhouse, Immigration Minister, said in a pre-Budget announcement that more resources were needed to deal with the increase in the number of visitors entering the country. Around $8 million...
Immigration New Zealand cracks down on short-term visa abuse6 May at 8 AMA crack down on workers violating short-term visa rules appears to have been initiated by Immigration New Zealand. The move comes following an investigation into a company based in China that was contracted to do work for KiwiRail. The Chinese locomotive provider has been told that any future visa extensions would require a high level of...
Immigration to New Zealand at 10 year high30 May at 9 AMThe number of immigrants choosing to make New Zealand their new home has hit its highest level in a decade. At the same time the number of Kiwis choosing to cross the Tasman and set up shop in Australia is currently at an all time low. The exodus to Australia over the past few years has been something of a concern for the New Zealand...
New Zealand becoming more competitive23 May at 9 AMThe global competitiveness of New Zealand is on the rebound. Over the last year the country has managed to claw back five places to hit number 20. The IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, a Swiss-based survey of 60 economies has pushed New Zealand up from last year’s 25th place. The result puts the Kiwis closer to their neighbours...
New Zealand recruiters come to Newcastle13 May at 8 AMThis weekend residents in the North of the UK will have the chance of finding out more about starting a new life in New Zealand as Down Under Live comes to Newcastle. The leading event for migrants heading Down Under will feature recruiters as well as representatives from New Zealand’s federal and state government. Skilled migrant...
Chinese migrants focus on New Zealand9 May at 8 AMWealthy Chinese migrants are turning their attention to New Zealand after Canada clamps down on a scheme that allowed immigrants residency if they loaned the country’s government C$800,000 for a period of three years. Well off Chinese residents are looking to relocate for a number of reasons including the level of pollution at home and...
NZ house prices pushed up by immigration2 May at 10 AMNew Zealand’s Labour party has indicated that it may look at placing controls on immigration in order to affect price inflation and housing demand. According to Labour immigration increases at times when the economy is strong. The party would like to see this cycle reversed by letting in more immigrants at times when the economy is subdued...
Parents told visa applications could take seven years27 May at 9 AMMigrants applying for New Zealand residency under the parent family category have been told that they may have to wait as long as seven years for their applications to be processed. They have also been told that during this time any children who become financially independent or get married will be dropped from the application. The family...
Down Under Live highlights New Zealand20 May at 2 PMBrits considering a new life in New Zealand have been finding out more at Down Under Live, an expo for skilled job seekers that has been visiting a number of cities across the UK. The Christchurch rebuild means that there is a strong demand for construction workers and engineers and professionals working in the supporting sectors. New...
Priority procedures put in place for urgent immigration applications13 May at 9 AMImmigration New Zealand is looking at ways to prioritise immigration cases after Dame Beverly Wakem, Chief Ombudsman, ruled that the department had delayed a residency application for an unreasonably long period of time. In January 2009 an application was received by the agency from a man who had fled with his family from his home country...
US retiree in New Zealand calls for immigration rule changes6 May at 9 AMNew Zealand’s parliament has been presented with a petition organised by an American expat asking for changes to be made to the immigration system. Henry Work moved to the country five years ago on a business visa and is now calling on the immigration authorities to make it easier for financially independent retirees to make a permanent...
Cameron buys more New Zealand land31 May at 9 AMWorld-famous movie director David Cameron is extending his New Zealand empire further after buying even more land in Wairarapa. The country’s Overseas Investment Office has confirmed that it has given the Titanic and Avatar director permission to purchase another 30 hectares of land along Western Lake Road. Cameron, who already owns...
New Zealand passport scammer appeal rejected30 May at 9 AMA New Zealand court has rejected an appeal by a man found guilty of a scam in which visa overstayers paid him to put fake stamps in their passports. Gerard Otimi charged those in breach of their visas, mainly from Tongan and Samoan, $500 each for the stamp that did nothing to help their cause. Otimi said they would be allowed to stay until...
New Zealand immigrants paid below minimum wage29 May at 9 AMMany immigrant workers in New Zealand are being paid less than the minimum wage, according to a media investigation. According to ONE News, immigrants are being lured to the country on the promise of work and residency permits, only to be vastly underpaid, sometimes by more than $5 an hour. Avtar Singh from India spoke to the news...
Nigerian accused of New Zealand immigration fraud28 May at 10 AMA Nigerian man is to stand trial in New Zealand, accused of falsifying documents in an alleged immigration scam. Anthony Okechukwu Ani, 56, is suspected of giving New Zealand authorities fake passports and forged birth certificates for some of the 10 children he was trying to bring into the country under the secondary migration scheme. In...
Chinese businessman innocent of immigration fraud but New Zealand MP in spotlight25 May at 9 AMMillionaire Chinese businessman William Yan has been found not guilty of all charges relating to making false declarations on a citizenship application for New Zealand. However, the controversial case has raised questions about the conduct of Labour MP Shane Jones who granted Yan citizenship in his role as a cabinet minister. A decision...
South African family given last chance to stay in New Zealand24 May at 9 AMA South African woman currently living unlawfully in New Zealand has been given one more chance to remain in the country. Cherie Vermaak, who has two teenage children also living in Zealand, has been given six weeks to find a job if she wants to stay in the country. After he plight was reported in the media, Ms Vermaak says she has been...
New Zealanders emigrating for Australia23 May at 9 AMNew Zealand saw a record number of residents leave for Australia last month. According Statistics New Zealand, despite a average loss of around 3,500 people a month for the year, 4,500 set off across the Tasman in April, resulting in a new record of 53,462 departures. This put the net loss up 13,000 on the year before to 39,800. The net...
Government ties revealed in Chinese businessman immigration case22 May at 9 AMA wealthy Chinese businessman accused of making false declarations on immigration forms had close ties with MPs, a court in Auckland has heard. William Yan, who is also known as Yong Ming Yan and Yang Liu, had the support of several government officials when his citizenship status was granted, although all the politicians deny that they did...
NZ judge rejects call to throw out Chinese businessman immigration case21 May at 9 AMA High Court Judge in New Zealand as rejected a call the dismiss charges against a Chinese businessman who is accused of lying on his immigration forms in order to gain citizenship. William Yan, otherwise known as Yong Ming Yan or Yang Liu, is suspected of using false written statements and making false declarations on his documents, mainly...
NZ study examines migrant labour market18 May at 9 AMA new study released by New Zealand’s Department of Labour has revealed the factors that affect the success of migrants in the country’s job market. The research, the results of which will be used to shape future immigration policy, saw more than 5,000 migrants interviewed three years after they gained permanent residency status. The...
New Zealand government knew of FBI interest in Dotcom17 May at 9 AMThe New Zealand government knew about FBI interest in Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom around six months before he was arrested on file sharing charges, new information has revealed. Land information minister Maurice William and justice minister Simon Power received documents stating a “vague” FBI interest in the website founder while they...
New Zealand announces changes to family immigration rules16 May at 9 AMNew Zealand’s immigration minister has announced that changes to family policies will help attract more skilled workers to the country and save taxpayers $40 million a year. Nathan Guy added that the family members of foreigners making a real contribution to New Zealand will be fast-tracked, and that the new system will ensure they are...
Kiwis keen to emigrate from New Zealand15 May at 9 AMThe trend of New Zealanders moving to Australia for work has been highlighted by an overseas jobs expo in Auckland that attracted thousands over the weekend. The $15 dollar event was attended by around 6,000 Kiwis, keen to cash in on the skills shortage and tax breaks across the Tasman. The Oz Jobs Expo has hosted two similar events in...
Husband and wife suspected of attempting to smuggle nine into NZ14 May at 9 AMA group of nine Malaysian women, who Immigration New Zealand believes were being smuggled into the country by a husband and wife team, have been denied entry. The women were all stopped before boarding a plane from Kuala Lumpur on Friday, following the wife’s detention at the Malaysian airport the day before. The interception is the...
Immigration New Zealand backtrack on visa gaffe decision 11 May at 9 AMImmigration New Zealand has been criticised after backtracking on a decision and allowing all visas approved in error last week to stand. A computer glitch meant that the Silver Fern Visas scheme, which issues 300 visas a year, approved 306 additional visas above the quota. Despite initially saying that the payments would be refunded and...
New Zealand visa applications approved in error10 May at 9 AMHundreds of would-be skilled migrants have been left disappointed after a computer glitch at Immigration New Zealand saw their applications accepted in error. An extra 330 people were wrongly told that they had been accepted into the Silver Fern Visa scheme, which provides 300 places for skilled workers each year. Around 4,000 people were...
NZ initiative to make entry easier for foreign students9 May at 9 AMInternational students wanting to come to New Zealand to study can now enjoy having their applications processed faster, thanks to a joint initiative between Education New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand. New Zealand education specialists, known as New Zealand Special Agents (NZSA), will now have a dedicated point of contact at...
Chinese millionaire concealed second identity from Immigration New Zealand 8 May at 9 AMA rich Chinese businessman has pleaded not guilty to providing false information when applying for citizenship in New Zealand. William Yan, who is also known as Yong Ming Yan and Yang Lui, failed to tell immigration authorities about his other identities when presenting papers in 2001 and 2002. Yesterday, the High Court in Auckland heard...
NZ immigration reforms might be discriminatory7 May at 9 AMAs reported by Radio New Zealand, a UN representative asserts that proposed changes in New Zealand immigration law may breech international refugee conventions. Under the reform, anyone arriving to New Zealand in a group of twelve or more may be detained with a group warrant. Furthermore, if the migrants end up with permanent residency,...
Slow rebuild preventing Canterbury return4 May at 9 AMThe slow pace of the rebuild in Canterbury following last year’s quake is affecting the flow of migrants coming to the city, although many are in fact helping with the construction. According to figures from Statistics New Zealand, around the same amount of migrants as March 2011(400) came to the city in March 2012, with many of these...
Foreign buyers pushing up house prices in NZ3 May at 9 AMHouse prices in New Zealand are being pushed up by an influx of wealthy buyers coming in from abroad, according to the country’s estate agents. Many feel the skyrocketing prices will push out local buyers and send younger citizens abroad, but the agents say it’s good for the country’s economy. Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, real...
Suspected card skimmers turned away by NZ Immigration 2 May at 9 AMImmigration New Zealand is continuing its crackdown on people entering the country to commit crime, as two more suspected card skimmers were intercepted at Auckland Airport this week. Steve McGill, the head of immigration at the airport, said officials apprehended the men, one Bulgarian and one Romanian, after they raised the suspicion of INZ...
Labour calls for less foreign film workers1 May at 9 AMLabour is calling for New Zealand to do more to promote home grown technical talent within the film industry after a leaked document showed that Weta Digital is applying to bring hundreds of foreign workers into the country. The special effects firm has applied to Immigration New Zealand for visas for 369 skilled workers, such as model...