Two new seasonal work visas to grow economy

The Government is introducing two new seasonal visa pathways to help New Zealand businesses access the workers they need during peak periods, while also prioritising jobs for New Zealanders.

“We know the success of our seasonal industries is critical to growing the economy.

“These new visas will make it easier for employers to bring back experienced seasonal workers and to fill short-term roles that are hard to fully staff locally,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says.

“We are making sure businesses can access the right people at the right time, while also protecting opportunities for Kiwis.”

The Global Workforce Seasonal Visa is an up to three-year visa for highly experienced seasonal workers in roles such as rural contracting, sheep scanning, winemaking, and snow instruction. It enables skilled workers to return for subsequent seasons on the same visa. Visa holders will need to spend a minimum of three months out of every 12 months offshore before returning to New Zealand.

The Peak Seasonal Visa is a visa of up to seven months for short-term seasonal roles such as meat and seafood processing, calf-rearing, and wool handling. Visa holders will have to have at least one season of previous relevant experience and people will need to leave New Zealand for at least four months before the visa can be renewed.

For visa over three months there will be a new requirement for insurance with health coverage.

“These visas are designed to reflect the realities of seasonal work and the diverse range of skill levels involved. They’ll help fill critical roles in industries where employers struggle to find enough New Zealand workers at peak times.

“From ski instructors guiding first-timers down the slopes to wine makers helping create next year’s vintage, these visas are designed to keep seasonal industries humming.

“These changes are part of our plan to deliver smart, flexible and nuanced immigration solutions to help grow our economy,” Stanford says.