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International Journal of Social Psychiatry
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Employment Status, Duration of Residence and Mental Health Among Skilled Migrants To New Zealand: Results of a Longitudinal Study

Regina Pernice

Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand, R.E.Pernice{at}massey.ac.nz

Andrew Trlin

Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Anne Henderson

Nicola North

University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Monica Skinner

Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Aims: To report findings on employment, duration of residence and mental health from a longitudinal study of 107 skilled immigrants to New Zealand from the People's Republic of China, India and South Africa.

Methods: Demographic and employment data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire that included (as the mental health instrument) the General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12). The initial interview took place after the immigrants had been resident in New Zealand for an average of five months. Four subsequent interviews were conducted annually (1999—2002) on or about the anniversary of the first interview.

Results and Conclusion: Rather than an initial euphoric period followed by a mental health crisis, the results indicated poor mental health status in the first two years irrespective of employment status. Thereafter, mental health slightly improved as did employment rates. A surprising result was that although the South Africans had the highest employment rate, there were neither substantial mental health differences among the three groups nor was there a significant improvement during the course of the longitudinal study.

Key Words: duration of residence • employment • immigrants • mental health • New Zealand

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, Vol. 55, No. 3, 272-287 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0020764008093685
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