Kim Smith, a senior consultant at Robert Half Finance & Accounting, says an international survey by the company reflects well on New Zealand employers' attitude to hiring immigrants.
Of more than 2500 finance professionals across 13 countries, 81 per cent of New Zealand respondents thought immigrants added cultural
diversity to the workplace, 57 per cent believed immigrants could help to improve processes, 40 per cent thought immigrants frequently had experience in more advanced procedures and 28 per cent believed immigrants often had qualifications and skills that could not be gained in New Zealand.
"But the day-to-day reality simply didn't match these lofty ideals," said Smith. "Even highly skilled migrant applicants faced enormous hurdles finding employment in New Zealand.
"It is astonishing that at a time when those same employers are complaining about a lack of skilled workers they are rejecting qualified and capable applicants purely because they were raised in a different culture.
These are people who have actually chosen to live in New Zealand, they are motivated to fit in and learn the work culture. They are also often technically sound, smart and an under-utilised resource in New Zealand."
Smith says it seems employers were not reluctant to hire Australian, American or British immigrants, but hesitated over those from non-western countries.
Smith said New Zealand employers should think carefully about the survey and start putting in practice the sentiments expressed: actively trying to integrate migrant workers by offering them training, mentoring and, where necessary, language training.
"Let's stop putting up unnecessary hurdles and instead look at how these highly skilled migrants can help New Zealand companies grow," she said.
