The Expatriation Experience of the Chinese Spouse in New Zealand by Christopher Selvarajah ,School of Management, RMIT University, Mel- bourne 3000, Australia; and Stanley Petzall, Deakin Business School, Fac- ulty of Business and Law, Deakin University Abstract This study examines the adjustment process and the adaptability of the Chi- nese migrant spouses’ in Auckland, New Zealand. A total of 97 spouses par- ticipated in a survey from a random sample of 200. The results suggest that both anticipatory and in-country experiences are relevant to adjustment. The results of the study, specifically suggest that the adjustment process experi- enced by the Chinese spouses in the New Zealand environment is based on a number of factors such as (1) the amount of information and knowledge of New Zealand they have prior to arrival in New Zealand, (2) the backgrounds of the spouses, (3) their experiences prior to and on arrival in New Zealand, and (4) their ability to cope in the new environment. ________________________ Immigration is a significant force in the shaping of New Zealand economy and society. Though Chinese migration to New Zealand can be traced back to more than one hundred years the number of early Chinese settlers was rela- tively small. In the last 10 years, aided by changes in immigration policy, Chinese seeking settlement in New Zealand has increased from 2431 in 1992 to 4088 in 1998 (Statistics New Zealand, 1998). The 1996 New Zealand Cen- sus reported that there were 82,320 Chinese in New Zealand (Statistics New Zealand, 1997). In order to bring immigration in line with the economic re- structuring that began in 1984, a new points system was introduced in 1991. The move to a points system tended to favour people in their early-to-middle working ages with appropriate qualifications, work experience and proven business skills. All applicants who achieved the required number of points (28 in 1991, increasing to 31 by 1995) automatically qualified for entry. Many Chinese from Mainland China met these requirements and the number of approvals for these people increased markedly. In this specific age group, most of the new arrivals are married and come with their families (wives and children). The number of new arrivals was high, particularly in Auckland where many choose to settle. In the New Zealand culture, which is basically of an Anglo-Saxon origin with a strong South Pacific Maori presence, the new migrants and their fami- lies who have different backgrounds, will undoubtedly experience cultural adjustment problems when settling in to the new environment (Selvarajah, Volume 22 Number 5 2003 31 The Expatriation Experience of the Chinese Spouse in New Zealand