As one of the UK’s largest construction companies, Carillion, goes into liquidation threatening thousands of jobs, one country where some may find a perfect opportunity to find a new job is New Zealand.
In December, seven building-related occupations were added to the Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL) for immigration. This will make it easier for the building industry to find the workers it needs to help address New Zealand’s housing shortfall.
“The Government will build 100,000 affordable homes over the next 10 years and the construction industry needs skilled workers to achieve this,” said New Zealand’s Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. “The Government will always ensure that where a genuine skill gap exists our immigration system will support employers to get the people they need.
“Adding these seven building-related occupations to the ISSL will make it easier for employers to get the people they require, including migrants, to deliver the homes this country needs,” he added.
Employers whose occupations are on the ISSL and the Long-Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) do not need to go through the labour market process and do not need to prove they cannot find a New Zealander for the job.
A total of 34 occupations for New Zealand immigration purposes were reviewed last year. In addition to the seven building-related occupations, three motor industry-related professions are being added to the ISSL, as well as midwives and accountants. Five occupations are being removed from the ISSL and five from the LTSSL.
The removal and addition of occupations is the result of extensive consultation with industry groups, other stakeholders and relevant government agencies, alongside analysis of economic, labour market and immigration data.
From 2009 to 2017, 226 occupations have been removed from the lists, and 59 occupations added. Once the latest revised lists come into effect there will be a total of 134 occupations on the lists (65 on the LTSSL and 69 on the ISSL).
Article published 15th January 2018