[prebrov]

I'm not in NZ, but seriously considered it as a destination. I agree with you, the article has nothing to do with reality and is just wishful thinking or, more likely, a PR shill paid up by NZ's foreign promotion board or however they're called.

Jacinda Ardern had a strong anti-immigration position during her campaign, she literally promised to cut immigration by 20'000-30'000 per year, from 70'000. No surprise that current government basically dismantled all immigration schemes.

Good luck to them building their own Silicon Valley!

[yarg]

There's a huge number of low skill immigrants in New Zealand, they don't really add that much to the country.

I don't imagine that any restrictions on immigration would significantly impact skilled workers.

That said, I don't understand why we would possibly have a requirement of VC involvement when the already money is there to actually do the work.

[madaxe_again]

So, despite being an entrepreneur, and having founded several successful and sustainable businesses, I’m one of your “unskilled migrants”. Sure, I’ve been coding since I could walk, I have current and expert systems and web technology knowledge - but I have a bachelors. In physics. Not useful at all, and puts me on the same rung as a golf course management graduate - actually, below, as they have a shortage skill.

One of the hurdles I am repeatedly failing at with trying to emigrate is that I do not have a compsci degree.

It seems that having a bit of paper is much more important than having a track record.

[te_chris]

Because the VC's wrote the rules...

[zinckiwi]

I'm generally pro-immigration, but with a population of less than 5 million and a housing affordability crisis, 70k a year simply isn't sustainable.

[oblio]

Isn't New Zealand hugely underpopulated? I fear that their real problem is elsewhere...

Just checked quickly:

* the UK: 65 million people, 242 000 sqkm -> crowded

* Romania: 19 million people, 238 000 sqkm -> not that crowded

* New Zealand: 4.8 million people, 268 000 sqkm -> it's definitely not overpopulated...

Edit: Heh, I also checked the density, it's the 203rd country in the world regarding population density. There's definitely a ton of space for people there, if the government wants it and is diligent about promoting construction of affordable housing.