New Zealand has taken another significant step forward in the Reconnecting plan, as work visa applications open for people offshore, Immigration Minister Michael Wood says.
The third and final stage of the new simplified Accredited Employer Work Visa policy opened on Monday, allowing migrants offshore to apply for a work visa to come and work in New Zealand for an accredited employer.
"We know a major constraint on business currently is access to skilled labour. This is happening the world over, but the Accredited Employer Work Visa will play a role in increasing the available pool of labour to fill skilled work shortages," Wood said.
"The opening of this visa follows on our previous work which has seen approvals granted for more than 33,000 critical workers, 13,000 working holidaymakers, and 60,000 migrants approved for residency through the one off 2021 Resident Visa.
"The AEWV is at the heart of the government’s Immigration Rebalance and is focussed on providing New Zealand with the skills we need, while ensuring that migrants are fairly treated. We believe that the previous system in some cases facilitated a low-cost labour model that was neither good for our country or migrant workers. As such the AEWV is centred around a requirement to pay at the median wage, with limited exemptions for sectors who are transitioning.
"We look forward to working with key sectors to lift pay and conditions so that it is easier to attract New Zealand workers, and for smoother pathways to attract migrant workers on the basis of skill and need, not low-cost labour."
As part of the new AEWV policy, employers need to be accredited and have completed a job check before they are able to hire a migrant from offshore.
Accreditation applications opened on May 23, and to date 5666 applications have been received. Of those 4322 have been approved.
Job check applications opened on June 20, and to date 732 have been received. An employer must have their job check approved before a migrant is able to apply for the role.
"The job check is a very important part of the new AEWV process to hire a migrant from overseas and it is critical that employers provide all the necessary information to demonstrate they have met the requirements of the job check.
"This includes evidence of an acceptable job offer, job description and employment agreement, and proof that the role has been advertised for at least two weeks if it pays less than twice the median wage or is not on the Green List."
Working visa applications are expected to be processed within 20 working days when the application is accurately filed.
Partners and dependents of work visa applicants can now also apply for visas.
"Reconnecting New Zealand is not just about growing businesses and our economy, but also about reconnecting families who haven’t been able to apply for a visa from offshore while border restrictions have been in place.
"Opening visa applications for partners and dependents of workers who are applying for work visas will make it easier for migrant workers to bring their families with them to New Zealand, making us an attractive place to live and work.
New Zealand’s borders will be fully open to the world at the end of the month, with student and visitor visa applications opening from July 31.
Immigration New Zealand has also gearing up by recruiting and training more staff to meet the expected demand, bringing on-board 230 Immigration Officers in the year to May 22.
The Government has also made changes help bring more refugee families together.
"From July 1, 2022, the number of places available under the Refugee Family Support Category increased from 300 to 600 each year.
"We have also removed the fees associated with the RFSC, including the sponsorship registration fee, the application fee, and the immigration levy. This will help alleviate the financial burden on sponsors and applicants.
"A range of extra support is also being provided to sponsors and their families to assist them to get to New Zealand and to settle into their new life and community.
"Combined, these changes to the RFSC will enable more of our New Zealand resident refugees to be reunited with their family," Wood says.
