NZ set to loosen construction immigration rules

The New Zealand government is set to greenlight new rules which will enable more firms to hire overseas construction workers.

According to New Zealand news outlet, Stuff, the country’s Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway is set to tweak immigration rules for overseas trade workers.

Several construction industries have been lobbying the Minister to allow them to bring in more foreign workers to meet their needs. Lees-Galloway has recently acknowledged that there is a need for migrants in some regions and sectors. He agreed that there is a “crisis with housing”, and stated that now some parts of the country were crying out for workers.

Up to this point, the country’s Labour Party have been concentrating on reducing the record breaking number of immigrants arriving in the country over past few years. However, the government has consistently reiterated it is not anti-immigration but only wants to see immigrants arriving who can find suitable jobs quickly in the country.

According to Stuff, the policy changes are imminent, although as to what they will actually entail is not yet known.

While the construction sector is set to get policy tweaks to allow for more migrant workers, the aged-care sector has also been lobbying Lees-Galloway for more people.

Aged Care Association chief executive Simon Wallace says the sector wants the Government to change lower-skilled worker visa settings, brought in by the National-led government, which called for a 12-month stand down after working in New Zealand for three years.

Article published 26th June 2018