Andrew Dickens: Politicians are missing the real immigration problem

The past week has seen immigration policies come to the fore.  New Zealand First is signalling a tougher immigration stance, longer waits for residency and citizenship, a referendum to cap new residency approvals at 20,000 a year, and a 30-year population plan tying migrant intake to infrastructure capacity.   Labour is also tightening its settings, extending residency qualification to four years and promising a Government Policy Statement.  But as economists like Bernard Hickey point out, these policies miss the real immigration pressure.  New Zealand issues more than 230,000 temporary work visas annually, largely for lower-paid roles on our farms, in our kitchens, and even in our beauty salons.  The temporary workers aren't here forever. But when they go, they're replaced but other temporary visa holders.   This quarter of a million of temporary visa holders is still driving population growth, straining infrastructure, and suppressing wages.    They come with problems that no-one is addressing.  Not for the first time, politicians can't see the wood for the trees, and not for the first time, they then release policies that are primarily designed to get votes but not to address the issues. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.