Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce said there was a need to boost the supply of skilled workers in many areas of the New Zealand economy and Kiwis returning from Australia would form part of the answer.
Those areas included the construction trades, engineering, manufacturing and ICT.
''More people are needed, not only for the Canterbury rebuild, but also around the country.''
Employers had said they were keen to participate in a concerted recruitment drive for skilled staff down the eastern seaboard of Australia to complement the skills training efforts in New Zealand, he said.
''With a lower unemployment rate than Australia and a higher employment rate, now is the time to show more expat Kiwis some of the great opportunities there are here in New Zealand and recruit some into our growing companies back home.''
The Immigration Minister, Michael Woodhouse, said that National's wider immigration policy would continue to ensure immigration supported the economy, helped create jobs and contributed to higher wages for New Zealanders.
As well as quickly setting up the new Australian jobs fairs, National would promote immigration policies supporting economic growth and jobs, move visa applications online through the Immigration Online Service, establish a joint transtasman visitor visa for next year's Cricket World Cup, keep reducing overstayer numbers and combat people-smuggling, and continue to improve outcomes for refugees.
