NZ in need of more migrant farmers

New Zealand’s leading farming organisation is hoping the migration process for dairy farmers wanting to hire migrant workers will be simplified, as the industry faces a severe worker shortage.

According to the Farming Federation, there are simply not enough people in New Zealand willing to work in the farming industry. As a result, the organisation has launched a new online tool which it hopes will help employers and potential employees understand the emigration process.

“It’s about making life a little bit simpler and actually understanding what you need to do and how you need to do it,” Federated Farmers’ dairy spokesperson James Houghton told New Zealand’s ONE News. “We would love to employ New Zealanders but there’s just not enough wanting to front up,” he added.

There are currently around 2,300 migrants working in dairy farms in NZ – approximately 20 per cent of the industry’s total workforce.

Canterbury, Southland, Waikato, Otago and Hawke’s Bay are the top five regions which are currently employing migrant workers, with the majority of workers coming from the UK, the Philippines, India, Fiji and Chile.

Average salaries currently range from $38,000 to $70,000 across a range of farm positions.

To find out more about life in New Zealand, download our exclusive emigration guide. Visit: https://emigrate2.co.uk/resources/emigration%20guides/

Article published 19th November 2013

NewZealand Farmer

NewZealand Farmer