More Filipinos eyeing New Zealand for work, stay

Pinoycare Visa Center chief executive officer Prisca Niña Mabatid (left) with chief operating officer Iah Denisse Mabatid Alcuizar and business development head Jenny Tio.

MORE Filipinos are looking to work and live in New Zealand after that country’s government relaxed its migration requirements, an immigration consultancy firm said last week.

Prisca Nina Mabatid, Pinoycare Visa Center chief executive officer, said the New Zealand government opened up its country to more migrants especially the Filipinos.

“As of 2013, the Filipino population in New Zealand reached over 40,000. New Zealand’s population is only 4.5 million and they are looking for more migrants because there’s a lot of job opportunities there. They are looking for more manpower to drive more growth in their economy,” she said.

She said they processed over 1,000 applications for New Zealand, all of whom had high-approval rate.

There were 41,000 migrants to New Zealand last year.

Of that number 3,100 came from the Philippines. India tops the list with 7,700, followed by China with 6,600 and the United Kingdom with 5,500. Germany rounds out the list with 2,300 migrants.

“The top jobs in demand include the medical-related professions, engineering, IT-related jobs, culinary and business management,” Mabatid said.

Mabatid said they are holding an immigration campaign for those wishing to explore opportunities in New Zealand and Canada called “Lipat Bayan Canada or New Zealand.”

“There is a fast way to get an immigrant visa to New Zealand and we will talk about that on November 29 at the Grand Pacific Ballroom of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. We expect 5,000 people to attend the event,” she said.

She said during the event, guests from New Zealand will also be attending to speak about opportunities in the country.

Mabatid said New Zealand and Canada are the most preferred countries by Filipinos who want to migrate.

She said they have heard of the benefits that the governments of these countries provide their citizens like free education and medical insurance for the children.