Immigration news

It seems the lure of Australia's hot weather, golden beaches, higher standard of living and better opportunities is irresistible to New Zealanders, in addition to Brits.

The growing gap in incomes between New Zealanders and their Australian counterparts is prompting more and more New Zealanders to immigrate to Australia for good, says New Zealand National's Immigration Spokesman, Lockwood Smith.

New Zealand figures show the number of people leaving permanently, compared with those returning home permanently, has increased from 11,200 to 18,100 to 25,000 in the past three years.

The Netherlands is introducing its new integration policy next month by establishing Dutch language and culture tests at 138 embassies, the country's immigration minister said this week.

The 30-minute computerized exam will determine if new immigrants are prepared for Dutch life, said Rita Verdonk. "If you pass, you're more than welcome. It is in the interest of Dutch society and those concerned."

Migrant workers in the US do the jobs that Americans will not do, but they are vulnerable to bigots and big business, as The Guardian reports.Half past seven on Tuesday morning and on the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard in Queens, New York, around 20 Sikh men stamp the cold out of their feet. Brickworkers, builders and unskilled labourers all wait at the intersection for a car to stop and offer work. But the snow on the ground is an ill omen. Construction work is scarce when the weather is this bad. So they wait.

A special report for the Chicago Tribune looks at the new EU member states, and the new challenges they face as many of their best and brightest young people immigrate to "old Europe" for better paying careers. By Tom Hundley.

A shortage of nurses throughout the US state of Florida isn't showing any signs of easing despite the best plans by hospitals to fill vacancies, newly released statistics show.

The Florida Hospital Association's annual nurse staffing survey has found the registered nurse vacancy rate rose slightly to 8.5 percent last year in Florida hospitals, a bump up from an 8.2 percent vacancy rate the year before.

Record numbers of people are leaving Britain to live and work abroad, figures show. More than 350,000 men and women are emigrating every year, a rise of 30 per cent in 10 years, The Independent reports.Experts are particularly concerned that the number of people in professional occupations leaving Britain has doubled since 1994.Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 359,500 people migrated from Britain to other countries in 2004, up from 236,500 in 1994.