New Zealand is among the OECD countries that have been settled by migration. Currently more than a quarter of the New Zealand workforce is foreign-born. Despite being a settlement country, most labour migration is temporary and permanent migration mainly draws from the pool of temporary labour migrants. Current temporary labour migration is equivalent to 3.6% of the workforce, by far the largest figure in the OECD. An elaborate system of labour-market tests and exemptions aims to limit negative impact on the domestic workforce while at the same time responding to employer needs. A large part of temporary flows is into low-skilled jobs with little steering possibilities, and some vigilance is needed. For permanent migration, which is also among the highest in per capita terms among OECD countries, New Zealand operates with target numbers. The country faces difficulties in meeting thes targets, whose value-added in a largely demand-driven system - favoring immigrants with a job offer - is questionable.
Canada has not only the largest in terms of numbers, but also the most elaborate and longest-standing skilled labour migration system in the OECD. Largely as a result of many decades of managed labour migration, more than one in five people in Canada is foreign-born, one of the highest shares in the OECD. 60% of Canada’s foreign-born population are highly educated, the highest share OECD-wide.
This review examines the implications of recent changes to Australia’s labour migration system and to the tools used to manage labour migration, discussing the extent to which they respond to the labour market needs of Australian States and Territories. It also provides a detailed analysis...
This review examines labour migration to the Netherlands, assessing how it contributes to the strategic development of sectors and employment in regions. It explores the determinants for retaining high-skilled migrants and for the integration of international graduates into the Dutch labour market.
This publication analyses recent developments in migration movements and policies in OECD countries and selected non-OECD countries. It also includes two special chapters on the skills of immigrants and their use in the labour market as well as on the management of labour migration.