I owe the inspiration for this article to an industry colleague, who discussed this same topic on LinkedIn recently and it really did get me thinking. There is something wonderfully predictable about immigration becoming a political talking point in an election year and there is enormous entertainment value in watching all of our political leaders suddenly realising they have the “secrete sauce” that will make our immigration system better, faster, and more valuable.

The Rolling Stones famously complained about their inability to get satisfaction and having read that line, you now probably have that song in your head. For many New Zealand visa applicants, that frustration will sound remarkably familiar to the tune, although the source of their dissatisfaction is very different.

ey do.

Dear Future Minister of Immigration

I do not know who you are yet. You may be the current Minister, still occupying the office after November election or you may be her replacement. You may come from National, Labour, ACT, New Zealand First, the Greens, or whoever else might end up in the political mix.

Whoever you are, this letter is intended for you.

If you are currently looking for a job in New Zealand, you probably do not need an economist or a subscription to the New Zealand Herald, to tell you that the labour market has been difficult. You already know how challenging it is. You know because you have probably applied for jobs and heard nothing back.

Moving countries, lock, stock and barrel is a fairly ridiculous way to find out whether you like somewhere. People sell houses, resign from jobs, pull children out of schools, say goodbye to family and ship the contents of their homes halfway around the world, often on the strength of social media commentary or the fact they enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movies.

With the Skilled Migrant Category changing repeatedly, and with further adjustments still likely, understanding whether you qualify today is only part of the picture. The more important question is whether the decisions you are making now are actually moving you towards residence.

Election years are not especially relaxing, especially if your future depends on immigration policy and whether a change in Government might influence that. A politician gives a speech about immigration being too high, another warns that the country needs to protect its social cohesion, someone else promises a tougher system.

Earlier this week, the ACT party announced that it wants to fundamentally reshape New Zealand’s residence system by removing the Permanent Resident Visa and replacing it with an ongoing requirement for residents to keep proving their connection to New Zealand. At first glance, there is a certain neatness to the idea.