The youngest country on earth, with a lifestyle to match
New Zealand is the youngest country on earth – in our geography and history. The first New Zealanders, the Maori, 
arrived here just 800 years ago, and ever since we have been a nation of immigrants, accepting people from every country on earth and welcoming them for their skills, their capital, and their new ideas.
Our country is a great place to live, work and play. It’s also a great place to raise a family and pursue your dreams.
Our small population of just over 4 million, our clear skies, our stunning scenery, and our uncrowded land mass – almost a third of which is set aside in parks and reserves – combine with a temperate climate, sophisticated urban centres, and a modern economy to provide a quality of life that is the envy of many other nations.
A land of opportunity
Today that trend continues, and New Zealand is a land of opportunity for returning Kiwis and for new immigrants with the right skills and talent. We have world-leading industries in agriculture, and adventure tourism, and growing expertise in wine, education, film and entertainment, information and communications technology (ICT), and biotechnology.
Welcoming immigrants: Kiwis come home!
The New Zealand Government is particularly keen to welcome back Kiwis currently living overseas. In these tough international economic times we know that many of you may be considering returning to family, friends and the familiarity of home.
New Zealand is well positioned to weather the global downturn, and the Government is pursuing a 'Jobs and Growth' plan to take the sharp edges of recession and to prepare our economy for future growth. This presents big opportunities for those with skills and aspiration who want to work in New Zealand.
Despite the tough economic conditions we also continue to need to fill skill gaps in some areas of our economy. We encourage people from a range of national backgrounds to check out the immigration options available to them, by visiting Immigration New Zealand, so that they too can consider making New Zealand home.
John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand