WOMEN, SKILLS AND GLOBAL MOBILITY: A STUDY OF CHANGING PATTERNS OF GENDERED SKILLED MIGRATION INTO NEW ZEALAND

Acconlin ~ to the:!()(J3 ILO report.ji!molc migmnts constitute IIL'cll'~l ' 51 percc:nt ofall migrants in dc:Feloped countries o11d ohout./6 percent r! ( all migmJI!s in de1 ·C!!oping cOIIIItries. Tht ' glohal presence of \\'Omen in migration is also n~flccted i11 the increase f! ( 1\'0ill<.'n using 11·/wt hm·e het'n mule dominated migration streams (UN World Suney 2004). Skilled migrution jlo11 ·s i11.YI!II ' Zealand is impol'!ont tu thr ~ Deportment c? ( La hour's goal of huilding New Zealand's II'Ork/inn ' unci allructing (ond rL'Iuining) top talent in Nr~11 · Zealand to comrihute to Ne 11 · Zealand's economic tnm.~·fimnution. This pclf>er looks ut trem/.o; in the proportion (?l.fi!male and male principal applicants 1rho hcn•e migrated to.\'e11 · Zeulund thmugh the Geneml Skills and Skillr~d Afigrant Category.fi·om 1997198 to]005/06. it also exumines changes in source c0/11/tries o(thl!sefemule migrants am / examines gender d[flerences in outcomesfOI ' skilled migrants. From 1997 98 to:!00 / ·o:: the numher (?f/i!muiC! unci moll! migrants entering Nell ' Zealand through the skilled cott!gories increased e.rpfmentiul~r. Although the pmportion 1{/ema/e to mole migrantsfor the skilled categories is lo11· (I:::) throughout thl! 199 7 198 to]005;{)6 period the 1/UIIIher o/11'011/f!ll to men.fi'om certain source countries (/or l'.\'lllllf'lc. China. Phili;Jpi11es unci.Jo;w11) incrcuscd or l'c.'IIILiined hig h during this period. Results.fi'om the Department '?f ' Luhour 's Selflt•JIIC.:IIt Experiences Feedhuck Sun·c1 · (S tll'l'l!,l ' sent to Skilled I Business stream migrants) sho11·s that 11 '/tile the 111£!jority ~~j ' hothji!11wle und mule princit)(llopplicunts ll'el'e employed (94%). there are substantial dUTerence