Recruiters seeing 'more and more' Kiwis leaving for Australia
Recruiters in New Zealand are expressing concern about an exodus from the workforce amid tempting offers from overseas, according to reports.
Michael Viner, managing director at Customise Talent Partners, told Newshub that the brain drain is a concern.
"If you're under 30, for example, and you're not married, don't have a mortgage - they're pretty much leaving now," Viner told the news outlet.
"It's never good. Certainly in the last couple of months, a lot of really, really talented people are leaving and hopefully they come back sooner rather than later."
But there are some who are wary that those departing Kiwis will be staying in their new countries for good.
Christian Brown, chief operations officer at Madison Recruitment, said some employers would like to think staff are only going overseas to get experience for several years.
"But we are seeing more and more Kiwis heading over to places like Australia and setting up shop there and ending up living there for life," Brown told Newshub.
Poaching attempts overseas
It comes amid tempting offers from employers overseas, who are trying to poach New Zealand talent, according to Brown.
Recently, the Queensland state in Australia launched a recruitment campaign aimed at luring health workers from New Zealand through generous perks, prompting concerns from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO).
"When you do look at the ads that are being run, it does certainly draw you to Australia as being the ideal place to go and work," NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku previously said.
Social Development Minister Louise Upston admitted that a brain drain is a "possibility" in New Zealand as more employers lay off staff.
"So, people who are in that set of circumstances — and I really feel for them — have to make some tough choices. For some, it may well mean that we lose a range of people, including some of our best and brightest," Upston previously said.
But there is strong demand for labour in New Zealand, despite recent reports of layoffs and restructuring.
"The numbers still stack up, unemployment rates [are] still only about four per cent. I think we've been through the bad stuff economically, and I'd start to have some more confidence there," Viner said as quoted by Newshub.