Visa changes to help migrant workers, students and others

The government has made changes to its visas regime according six months extension for Employer-Assisted Work Visa holders, postponing standdown period and many other settings.

Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi said that these changes will retain the 2019 median wage of $25.50 per hour at least until July 2021.

The new changes will allow many migrants workers who are already in New Zealand to continue their stay and work in the country longer, provided they satisfy the immigration norms and are in compliance with other legal requirements.

The Numbers

Currently, there are 189,000 temporary migrants with work rights and 83,000 people on Employer-Assisted Work Visas, most of which will be extended.

There are 58,000 migrants on other work visas, including post-study work (these will not be affected) and Working Holiday Visas, which will be extended.

The total number of Partners of New Zealanders, workers and students is placed at 43,000. Some of the visas of these people will be extended.

About 5000 workers under the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme will not affected by the changes and 42,000 students, some with work rights, will not affected.

There are 31,000 visitors, whose will not be affected by the changes.

Labour shortages acute

Mr Faafoi said that the New Zealand economy is bouncing back better than expected and that labour shortages are being experienced in several industries across the country.

“With the labour market outlook being more optimistic, we are implementing a range of changes to ensure the migrant workforce already in New Zealand can supplement employers’ efforts to recruit New Zealanders who have lost jobs due to Covid-19. The visa setting changes will run well into 2021, providing certainty for employers and workers,” he said.

Mr Faafoi said that the government will continue to watch closely how the labour market develops and whether further extensions are needed.

“There are about 192,000 migrant workers in New Zealand. That is a similar number to a year ago but without the changes we are making the numbers would fall as visas expire and border restrictions mean limited numbers of new workers are able to come to New Zealand. With border restrictions in place to keep Covid-19 out, we cannot bring the migrant workers into New Zealand that many industries have come to rely on, especially for their peak seasons,” he said.

He said that the priority of the government to ensure that New Zealanders have their jobs and that employers will be encouraged to focus on long-term workforce planning, training and improving wages and conditions to attract a local workforce.

“While these changes will allow employers to retain their existing migrant workforce, they will still need to prove that no New Zealanders are available before hiring new employees,” he said.

Details of changes

Employer-Assisted Work Visa holders (and their partners and dependent children) who have a job and whose visas are expiring from January to July 2021 will have their visas automatically extended by another six months.

The Stand-Down Period, during which low-paid Essential Skills visa holders have to leave New Zealand, will be postponed until January 2022. The stand-down period means that Essential Skills visa holders earning less than the median wage (currently $25.50) must leave New Zealand for 12 months after having worked here for three years before they can return.

Immigration New Zealand will continue to use the 2019 median wage of $25.50 per hour for immigration settings until at least July 2021. Thereafter, it will rise to $27 per hour.

Working Holiday Visas will be extended for six months, and restrictions will be relaxed on the maximum duration of work permitted, allowing Working Holiday visa holders to continue working in any industry they choose (including horticulture and wine sector roles).

Working Holiday makers will no longer be transferred onto a Supplementary Seasonal Employer work visa when their working holiday visa expires. Migrants already on an SSE visa will be able to continue working for the horticulture and wine sectors or apply for an Essential Skills visa if they find alternative qualifying work.

INZ will contact all eligible visa holders.

Retaining onshore migrant workers

According to Mr Faafoi, there are already ways for individual employers to retain their onshore workforce when these workers reach the end of their extension if they can show that there are no New Zealanders available to fill a role. 

Workers on employer-assisted visas can renew, and other migrants can obtain Essential Skills visas, if they have an offer of work for 30 hours per week and it can be shown that there are no New Zealanders available to do the job.

Employers of low-paid migrant workers, who are subject to the stand down period, can avoid the stand down period by paying above the median wage.

The Ministry of Social Development has made it easier for employers to see if New Zealanders are available for jobs by creating lists of occupations and regions where there is a clear over or undersupply of New Zealanders on Job Seeker Support.

Where occupations are on an undersupply list an employer will not need to get a Skills Match Report in order to meet the labour market test.

The above story has been sponsored by