Immigration Minister outlined a lot more at the Indian Newslink Lecture
Dr Malini Yugendran
Auckland, February 28, 2023
Work Visas for victims of family violence to rescue them from the ‘threat of their spouses,’ and the ability for partners of migrant workers to apply for a work visa before they arrive in New Zealand are among the major changes announced by Immigration Minister Michael Wood.
Speaking at the Twelfth Annual Indian Newslink Lecture at JW Marriot last night (Monday, February 27, 2023), he said that the changes aim to strengthen protections and improve processes for partners of migrants who have come to New Zealand for work.
He said that the expansion of access to the Victims of Family Violence work visa will come into effect today (February 28, 2023) access to the victims of family violence work visa will be expanded to people who are on partner-based visas that are linked to temporary migrants.
“This visa will enable eligible migrants to obtain a six-month open work visa independent of their immigration settings. The aim is to protect victims of family violence and reduce their vulnerability to being controlled through their visa circumstances,” he said and added that further work is being undertaken to support migrant victims of family violence better.
Partner Work Rights
Mr Wood announced that from May 31, 2023, partners of temporary migrant workers can apply for Partner of a Worker Work Visa, excluding those with existing work visas.
“This approach will allow partners to apply for a work visa from offshore. They can work for any accredited employer, do not need a job or job offer, and will not need to engage with Immigration New Zealand if they change jobs” he said.
Employers can recruit partners for almost any role as long as they meet the required payment thresholds, which is the median wage for most roles.
“We need to ensure that New Zealand continues to attract and retain high-skilled migrant workers. As a part of this exercise, partners of migrants working in occupations on the Green List or those paid twice the median wage will continue to be eligible for open work rights. Partners of New Zealand citizens and residents will also continue to be eligible for open work rights,” he said.
Mr Wood emphasised the importance of achieving balance in the immigration system by putting better standards in place while reducing friction to maintain access to human capital and skills from people who want to work in New Zealand.
The government is conducting ongoing reviews of the migrant and refugee resettlement strategy and family and partnership settings to ensure that these programmes take into account cultural aspects and are effective and meet the needs of those who use them.
Improving productivity
Mr Wood said that the recommendations of the Productivity Commission recommended by Ganesh Nana in his Report are being considered for implementation. This included a Policy Statement for Immigration and greater engagement with Maori.
Quoting Albert Einstein, Mr Wood said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
Mr Wood said that the government, will maintain constant contact and dialogue with all stakeholders and listen to their concerns in trying to achieve that balance and maintain progress. Engagement at the grassroots to draw policy advice and take into account conflicting views will be a part of this engagement.
Recognising the value of people and their unique circumstances while adhering to rules-based principles is important, he said.
He said that the immigration system is complex and that the challenge of maintaining the balance while making daily decisions is inherent in every decision.
“We will always support migrants who want to contribute to New Zealand’s economy and society while staying focused on the country’s values,” Mr Wood said.
Dr Malini Yugendran is an Indian Newslink Reporter based in Auckland.
