Be careful what we wish for

TLDR: PM Jacinda Ardern won a concession from new Australian PM Anthony Albanese on Friday to find clear pathways to citizenship for New Zealanders living as second-class citizens in Australia, but perhaps the Government should be careful what it wishes for, at least from a jobs and employer point of view.

The change would remove one of the main barriers for older, more skilled New Zealanders with families who fear jumping the ditch because of the current exclusion of temporary (but taxpaying) Kiwis from Australian educational and welfare entitlements. Suddenly, employers here would face a truly level playing field, having to compete with wages 30-40% higher in Australia and living costs cheaper in many areas without the fear of second-class citizenship and few prospects for permanence.

The pressure is particularly intense right now, with Australian job advertisements surging ahead of New Zealand’s and recruiters and HR managers there combing job directories and Linked In profiles here for new hires.

The problem for employers here is that a removal of the ‘second class citizen status’ of Kiwis in Australia takes away one of their main ways of stopping an even bigger exodus. Photo: Getty Images

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