London Mayor Calls on Britain to Allow More New Zealanders in Country

The mayor of London in the United Kingdom has called for the nation to open its doors and welcome New Zealanders who are currently restricted from entering. Boris Johnson made the public appeal following the results of survey conducted by the New Zealand government regarding the experience of Kiwis with work visas in the UK.

According to reports, the policy changes had limited work opportunities for New Zealanders. The results of the survey will be used and presented to the British government to tackle the issue.

New Zealand's statistics showed that only 4,578 Kiwis have moved to the United Kingdom for a longer term compared to 12,416 in 2000. Mayor Johnson wrote in The Telegraph that Britain has damaged its relationship with Australia and New Zealand, the Commonwealth countries.

Mr Johnson said the British government should welcome as many Kiwis and Australians coming into the UK, suggesting a "bilateral free labour mobility zones". He recounted his visit to Australia where he met a teacher who had been working in London but had to go back home due to immigration rules which the teacher described as "disgraceful".

Mr Johnson said the teacher wasn't a citizen of any one of the European Union's 27 nations. She has been told by British authorities to leave because they said it was too much trouble for anyone to sponsor her stay in the country.

A person who is a citizen in any of the member states in the European Union is allowed to live and work in the United Kingdom. New Zealanders are allowed to acquire a 2-year working holiday visa. If Kiwis want to stay longer, they will need to obtain an ancestry visa or be identified as a skilled worker.

According to Tim Hazledine, an economics professor at the University of Auckland, if Britain would allow more New Zealanders to enter the country, it was more than likely that more skilled workers in New Zealand would migrate to Britain.

However, there is no concrete evidence that New Zealand is experiencing the "brain drain" phenomenon.

The professor said New Zealanders can earn high in other countries and would often return to the homeland to start a business or do something they have learned overseas.

Only 20,000 skilled workers are allowed to enter Britain in a year if they are from outside the European Union. They need employers to sponsor them to be permitted extended stay and must pass an evaluation based on points.