Brain Drain – Brain Gain – The impact from a recruiter’s perspective

• May 27, 2025

The ongoing exodus of highly skilled people leaving New Zealand poses significant challenges for businesses. Skill shortages are not easing; in fact, they are on the rise in the Insurance, Travel, and Legal markets we recruit for. Skill shortages lead to headhunting from competitors, which over time results in higher salaries as the talent pool shrinks.

The media suggests that Brain Gain offsets Brain Drain losses and that New Zealand is a destination of choice for highly skilled professionals. I question this. I do not see this trend across the business sectors we recruit for. While there are small gains, they are not the significant ones needed.

Migration is part of our global reality. People travel for OE and better opportunities, and this will never change. What must change is how we retain and attract our most valuable resource – experienced, highly skille...