Public Policies Regarding New Zealand's Diaspora

Abstract

New Zealand is experiencing widespread skill and labour shortages. One of the government policies to address this problem is to convince New Zealanders abroad to return home. At the same time, the government is implementing other policies to strengthen existing expatriate networks in order to incorporate them in New Zealand's economic development. A recent survey shows that only 22.5 per cent of expatriates will return permanently to New Zealand, a fact that questions the effectiveness of the policies designed to bring them back.

This article describes three public policy options regarding New Zealand's diaspora: continuity, coordination and privatisation. The main conclusion is that New Zealand's diaspora represents an opportunity for the development of the country in broad terms rather than a part of the solution to the skill and labour shortages. The government should reconsider policy priorities and coordinate its diaspora engagement policies in order to take advantage of their social capital and to fully integrate them in the economic development of this country.