Cup to lure expats home

Annabel Ingoldby, husband Fraser Mackenzie and baby Max. Photo / Doug Sherring

Recruitment agencies are using the hype surrounding the Rugby World Cup to lure highly skilled expat Kiwis back to work here.

One company is offering free tickets to marquee games to fill skill shortages in the labour market.

Track Me Back, which matches expats with New Zealand employers, is also planning social media campaigns to tempt workers in Britain, Europe and the United States to return next year.

General manager Stuart Maxwell said: "We would expect more people to come back for the World Cup; it's just a question of whether they stay long term."

Maxwell said expat employees were appealing to businesses. "They're well travelled, highly skilled and they are usually ready to settle down.

"But the Kiwis who are working offshore want to know that they've got jobs to come back to before they pack their bags."

Between 20,000 and 25,000 New Zealanders return home to live each year - a figure that is expected to surge next year.

Economists say that the return of even an extra few thousand of the estimated one million Kiwis living overseas could provide a huge boost to the economy.

Adecco managing director Mike Davies said: "The recruitment industry is going to have massive exposure in the lead-up to the Cup."

He said his agency would also try to tempt foreign citizens who have skills that were in demand, such as engineers and health workers.

The World Cup is also causing New Zealanders to delay their working holidays until after the tournament, according to Madison recruitment national sales director Justin Pipe.

Kea New Zealand, which runs a global community of 30,000 Kiwis, says about half its members want to return to live here and the World Cup will be an enticement.

We won't miss it for the world

Fraser Mackenzie jumped at the chance to return to work in New Zealand ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

The 32-year-old had been living in New York for three years on secondment with international drinks company Pernod Ricard when an opening came up in Auckland.

He will help Pernod Ricard, whose brands include Havana Club rum and Jameson Irish whiskey, promote Brancott Estate wines to the world.

Mackenzie, a married father of one, said being at home for the tournament was a big factor in his decision to return.

He added that the tournament could throw up some debates in his multinational family.

"There will be some interesting competition in our household ... as my partner is from Australia, my son was born in the US, I have an Italian brother-in-law and my sister recently had a son in Japan - all countries that are competing."

Mackenzie has tickets to some games - "I wouldn't miss it for the world".

He believes many expat Kiwis will be tempted to return over the next year.

Situations vacant

The jobs with fewest applicants in November were:

* Solicitors/barristers

* Civil engineers

* IT technicians

* Accountants

* Software programmers

* Healthcare workers

* Senior Government managers

Source: seek.co.nz