A proud country, but we need migrants

Everywhere you look in New Zealand recently there will be the results of the recent nationwide social study and census, it’s in all the media; newspapers, television reports, whole programmes dedicated to the findings. It seems that as a country we are extremely proud of the discoveries, but are we right to be?

In short, yes we are.

For education our small island has come 11th overall, just short of the top ten but still an amazing achievement when our population is a mere 4 million compared to the 313 billion of the USA for example. We are still above the OECD average and comfortably so with education results in reading for primary school children being sixth place, seventh place for science and 5th for math’s according the Programme for International Student Assessment.

Thirty six countries were surveyed in the field of health, and New Zealand came in at the number one spot! New Zealand is the healthiest country out of the whole survey, this is ahead of Australia, Canada, Switzerland, the UK and the US. The average when asked how ones people’s health is in general scored 69% over all other countries, New Zealand's results were one mark off 90%. The life expectancy in New Zealand is around 81 years old which is again higher than average.

We have recently been given the label as the most multicultural country on earth as the amount of different origins that make up the country is more than there are countries in the world. This is an achievement to be extremely proud of as an open country for migration with no strict rules yet strict enough to protect our citizens and economy, it seems that we have the balance just right.

The studies also all mirror each other with there now being a serious lack of physicians and surgeons in the country. This is obviously not reflecting on our incredible health system but it is a worry. The skills we have in the country are in demand and doctors are stretched. We have more ill people than we have hospital beds and the Government of New Zealand are to reach out to overseas to gain the qualified people to make this country be the full 100%. It is clear that we need migrants to come and fill the many positions we currently have available not only for doctors but also within teaching, construction and IT. New Zealand needsyou!