It was on February of 2011 that the second largest city of New Zealand was devastated by a powerful earthquake damaging majority of the city's infrastructure and killing 185 people. The magnitude 6.3 earthquake is the country's second deadliest natural disaster and considered as one of the most deadliest disaster in peacetime.
In the aftermath of the event series of construction and repair was organized by the city. And for Israel Cooper, director of commercial and residential construction firm Buildtech, the city would be 2-3 years behind to where it is right now without the use of foreign workers. They felt the importance of these workers in order to hasten the repair and rehabilitation of the city. As he told bbc;
"We would not be able to deliver on the projects we have if we could not attract and retain foreign staff. It is very difficult to find and attract suitably skilled local staff. We are training a large number of apprentices, but this is a longer-term solution and does not meet the immediate need."
The workforces of the firm in Christchurch are foreigners coming from Ireland, Britain, Spain and Fiji, and Filipinos. Majority of this imports are Filipinos, they hired more Filipinos than all other nationalities put together. The presence of Filipino workers and other foreigners, according to the city Mayor, Lianne Dalziel, had delivered a positive multicultural dividend and an enhanced by the cosmopolitan atmosphere.
However, there still is a dark side on the story of foreign workers aiding the rehabilitation of Christchurch. There has been an exploitation of immigrant labor; Alan Clarence from the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union stated that;
"Sadly we have seen the exploitation of immigrant labour. People having to pay to come and work here, being bonded to employers and being offered a rate of pay, and then getting here and finding it is a lot less than they were told."
But despite the said threat of exploitation, Christchurch and New Zealand are still inviting foreigner to help them rebuild their city from the devastation that the quake left them. Deon Swiggs, the director Rebuild Christchurch, still encourages workers to flock the city saying that;
"Maybe some Filipinos or the Brits might bring their families to live in Christchurch. If they've worked here they'll feel that sense of pride to say, 'I built Christchurch. This is my home and I want to stay here.' We will all be the better for it."
