Settling In Palmerston North and Feilding - Human Rights Commission

Qualifications• Palmerston North’s overseas-born population is more highly qualified than the overseas-born across the country, with the opposite trueof Feilding (possibly because the overseas population is much older). In 2006, for Bachelor’s degrees and post-graduate qualifications,Palmerston North had 16% of its overseas-born in each category. Feilding was considerably lower, with 9% having Bachelor’s degrees andjust 5% having post-graduate qualifications. The equivalent ‘all NZ’ figures are: 15% of the country’s overseas-born had Bachelor’s degreesand 8% of overseas-born had post-graduate qualifications.Language• The 2006 census showed that the following languages were among those able to be spoken by around 1% of the Palmerston North population:French, Yue, Samoan, Northern Chinese and German. In Feilding, around 1% of residents was able to speak French but only small numbersof people reported being able to speak other minority languages.• In 2006, 82% of Palmerston North’s overseas-born Chinese people assessed themselves as ‘able to have a conversation in English about alot of everyday things’ – a higher proportion than the 77% across New Zealand – and 96% of the city’s overseas-born Indian population couldspeak English (also higher than the national proportion of 90%). 13Religion• Trends in religious affiliation in Palmerston North and Feilding are similar to those experienced nationally. In the 10 years between 1996 and2006, the majority of people affiliated with Christian religions but the proportion dropped between censuses. Conversely, the proportions givingthe next largest response (no religion) rose over that time. In general, the proportions affiliating to other religions also rose slightly over the 10years. In 2006, around 1% of Palmerston North’s population described themselves as Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim.• However, religious affiliation varied markedly by ethnic group. 14 In Palmerston North in 2006, the most numerous responses to the religionquestion by people who identified as Chinese were: no religion (61%), Christian (25%) and Buddhist (8%). In contrast, the majority of Indianpeople in the city, 54%, identified as Hindu, 21% as Christian and just 9% as having no religion. The situation was very different for Pacificpeoples, the large majority of whom were Christian. In Palmerston North, the 2006 census recorded that 75% of Samoan people, 59% of CookIslands Maori and 82% of Tongan people identified as Christian.Labour force status• Across New Zealand, overseas-born people aged 15 and over were less likely to be in the labour force in 2006 than New Zealand born (64%in the labour force compared with 71%). The same was true in both Palmerston North city and Feilding (66% and 61% respectively comparedwith 72% and 67% of New Zealand born in those locations).• In 2006, 45% of Palmerston North’s overseas-born were employed full time, 17% were employed part time and 4% were unemployed. InFeilding, 44% were employed full time, 15% were employed part time and just 2% were unemployed.• Across New Zealand in 2006, 40% of people born in Asia were not in the labour force. In Palmerston North and Feilding, the proportions were37% and 27% respectively. Of the people born in the Pacific Islands, 35% were not in the labour force (30% in Palmerston North and 27% ofthose in Feilding).Occupation• The overseas-born residents of Palmerston North city were much more likely than New Zealand born to be working in professional occupations(33% compared with 20% of New Zealand born). Smaller proportions of overseas-born than New Zealand born worked in all other types ofoccupation. In most cases, there was a 2–3 percentage point difference.• In 2006, professional occupations were the most common among Asian-born people (21% across New Zealand and a higher 28% inPalmerston North). However, people born in the Pacific Islands were most likely to be in labouring occupations (21% nationally and 22% inPalmerston North). Professional occupations were the second most common among Pacific Island born living in Palmerston North City (at19%, considerably higher than the national proportion of 13%).SETTLING IN PALMERSTON NORTH AND FEILDING13These figures may not necessarily indicate a complete lack of English. Ability to speak a language isself-assessed in the Census. The question asked about the ability to ‘have a conversation about a lotof everyday things’. Some people may have assessed their ability more harshly than others and somemay have forgotten to tick English when answering the question.14These figures by ethnic group include people born in New Zealand.15