Immigrants to NZ should be required to learn English?

On average, everyone strongly agrees with consensus between 407 voters.

Reasons To Disagree

The Maori language is also an official language of NZ, this is what immigrants should be learning.

It would make wee parts of ours lives easier but I don't thing that its should be required. I work in customer service and I get countless numbers of customers who can barely speak english. It's a little bit inconvenient but i don't have a problem with it. It would be arrogant to expect that from people. How about a rule prohibiting New Zealanders from visiting countries where they don't know the languages? I know of plenty of Kiwis who move overseas and don't know the native languages.

If they just stay where they are they don't need study

Reasons To Agree

They should have basic English skills BEFORE entering the country, and increased proficiency (written and verbal) essential if they wish to continue to stay. If they wish to come here, they have a duty to try to integrate themselves with society, and society speaks English

We are an english speaking country. It is not our place to change to accommodate those new to our society but to help them integrate.

Immigrants need to be able to speak fluent English to participate in society. Sadly, many New Zealanders don't have adequate literacy and reasoning skills as it is!

English and Maori, as the official languages. this is standard in most countries' immigration policies.

why they move in there ?

obviously

While I value the cultural and social significance of Maori, English is the factual ubiquitous language in our society. Immigrants should be encouraged instead to learn Maori on volunteer basis.

As English is the vastly socially accepted language in this nation for day-to-day living, a basic understanding in English communication is essential. Not just for English speakers here, but for foreigners seeking to move here. It's about quality of life. We've settled on a main language. That's English. Not Mandarin, Cantonese or Arabic. However, the official language is Maori, yet we don't require that as a prerequisite because it's hardly spoken anywhere else. When in Rome...but also, when a refugee who seeks shelter, New Zealanders need to be more tolerant. They don't CHOOSE to come here. They are desperate to survive. Cut them some slack. Try learning a foreign language and see that it's not that easy and English is a hard language to master.

New Zealand has 3 official languages and the main one is English, immigrants must know and be able to converese in English before coming here. I came here from the US in 1995 knowing enough English for a 9 year old and I got by just fine.

Definatly! dont come to our country and not understand our language. They think because they have money they can take over!

we dont need any more "bums" or people on the doll,expecially if they are not from thuis country.they are not going to go far and be able to support themselves if they cant speak part english,they need those skills

ahhh...yes!!!

I can imagine Chinese people learning Maori instead of English. That's going to really help them fit in with the majority populace. The only places they'd be able to fit in would be in the health or welfare system where the majority of that populace is connected with maoridom.

Its our National language and they should be able to speak and write it

I agree because it makes life easier for Migrants when they arrive, as the day to day challenges of adapting to a new set of social rules and expectations will be difficult enough. It may also be easier to be accepted by New Zealanders who are able to understand them, and can offer help without a language barrier. For Refugee's I think they need support to learn enough language as quickly as they can in order to meet their day to day needs for survival.

Its is the one languge that most people understand.

Depending on the category of the immigrants.

and NZ citizens shoukd be required to learn Maori.

Whether it is Maori or English, that doesn't matter. What they need to know is the English not speak Chinese and not be integrated into NZ society. They should be

Maori no but basic English yes if your gonna live here you have to be able to communicate effectively

What I hate most is going to the shops and finding the cashier having to struggle to understand one of the customers because they have no English at all. What is the point of moving to a country if you don't even want to learn the bloody language? What i hate is going around my church and there are large groups of Asians only hanging around with asians because they haven't bothered to learn English, and they come here without learning the language because their friends and family tell them that they don't need it here because there are many Asian food stores or stores with asian workers that speak their mother tongue.