New Zealand has announced tighter visa rules, including language and skill criteria, and shorter work permit lengths in response to what it calls "unsustainable net migration." The changes to the Accredited Employer Worker Visa (AEWV) scheme took effect immediately, aiming to better test the local labor market and reduce the risk of displacing New Zealanders from jobs, according to the country’s Minister of Immigration, Erica Stanford.
In 2023, 173,000 non-New Zealand citizens migrated to the country, the statement noted. While acknowledging skill shortages in areas like education, Stanford emphasized the need to prioritize New Zealanders for jobs where there are no such shortages.
Changes to the AEWV scheme include implementing a minimum standard of English, a new minimum skill requirement (such as work experience or qualifications), and shortening the maximum continuous stay on an AEWV to three years.
Employers are now required to ensure that migrants meet these new requirements before hiring them. They must also declare that no suitable and available New Zealander applied for the job before offering it to a migrant. Additionally, job postings must be advertised for at least 21 days, and employers must explain why any New Zealanders who applied were not hired.
Certain roles in the transport and care sectors will be exempt from these requirements, according to New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
No comments:
Post a Comment