Overseas IT professionals needed to fill New Zealand jobs as economy picks up

The IT industry is seeing signs that the recession is easing, with recruitment firms reporting an increase in IT jobs.

IT professionals reached number three on Seek’s top-five most sought employees list last month, with ICT managers, ICT professionals and ICT and telecommunications technicians the most popular jobs.

Specific skill sets in demand include Java and C# developers, as well as SQL developers and business analysts.

Recruitment firm Manpower, has reported that the demand for IT workers will only increase further as the economy improves.

“Even in the middle of the recession, 60 percent of local ICT employers were reporting difficulties in finding skilled ICT workers. Now, this number is likely to increase dramatically,” says Matt Love-Smith, business manager of Manpower Professional in Christchurch.

Targeting skilled workers willing to emigrate to New Zealand is one option to avoid a massive skills shortage, but employers may look to on-the-job training to fill difficult positions, positive job culture and leadership to attract and retain staff.

The New Zealand Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their New Zealand Visa applications to the New Zealand Immigration Department.