Eighty-seven per cent of employers who responded to a Department of Labour survey rated their migrant employees as good or very good workers.

The survey, completed late last year, questioned 424 employers who had had contact with Immigration New Zealand. It assessed the benefits and issues associated with employing migrants.

Over a third of the employers reported the migrant workers had skills and experience not available in New Zealand, Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman said.

The survey also found one in five employers felt there were no particular challenges to hiring a migrant. The positive impact of migrant workers on the economy was "immense", Dr Coleman said.

"Migrant workers play a major role in the economy and this survey reinforces the value they provide to employers," he said.

(Source NZPA)