American here that's just finished up a full-time, three-year computer science degree in New Zealand and is currently in the process of applying for a post-study employer-assisted work visa + skilled migrant residency.

These changes look and sound great. The suggestions on offer are very attractive, and they're much saner than some of the crazy anti-immigration policies that occasionally get shared here. Immigration does need a bit of reform so that it's welcoming for skilled migrants, but deters applicants that only want to get in by abusing loopholes.

I absolutely do not fault people that follow the path of least resistance since they are improving their own lives, but they should not be a burden on the economy. If a migrant were to be a net drain on resources, then they should sharpen their skills before being accepted. Student visas are an excellent way to do that, so long as they wind up in industry actually performing the work that they studied for. I've finished my computer science degree and I'm now working as a developer. I should not be able to complete a degree like this and then permanently stay in the country working a low-skilled job that could instead be filled by an existing citizen. The open post-study visa is great for temporary work while seeking something more permanent, but the gap from being a student to becoming a resident truly must require an offer of gainful employment.

Some of these policies would certainly have a negative impact for me personally, but ultimately it seems like they would align New Zealand's permanent residency policies closer to those of other developed nations. While I would like to get residency as soon as possible so that I can finally be finished with the whole process, it does make sense to vet people for long-term commitments before granting residency.

I'm particularly interested in reading more about how TOP's proposed immigration policies would affect the tech sector. There's a lot of language here that would directly apply to me, and I'm quite liking what I'm seeing so far.