Like all social and economic policy, immigration rules need to remain live and open for debate. It seems fitting then, at a time when we celebrate both Waitangi Day and the Chinese New Year, that the New Zealand Initiative has released its comprehensive review of immigration policy in this country. But it concludes that economic fears about immigration are largely overblown. As the report's authors note, most economists see immigration as a positive for wealth creation - a win win. However, given New Zealand's historically open immigration stance - there is a remarkable lack of empirical research available on its social and economic impacts, either good or bad.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 30, 2017 15:56 UTC