The New Zealand government announced a wide range of changes to its workforce and immigration pathways on September 29, 2023. The changes are designed to address the country’s skills shortage and to make it easier for businesses to attract and retain workers.
The key changes include:
Adding 17 roles to the Green List: The Green List is a list of highly skilled occupations that are in high demand in New Zealand. Workers in Green List roles can apply for a work visa without a job offer. The new roles added to the Green List include:
Aviation Engineer (Avionics, Aeronautical, Aerospace Engineer)
Naval Architects (aka Marine Designer)
Mechanical Engineering Technician
ICT Database and System Administrator
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
Road Roller Operator
Paving Plant Operator
Corrections Officer
Metal Fabricator
Pressure Welder
Welder
Fitter (General)
Fitter and Turner
Fitter-Welder
Metal Machinist (First Class)
Panel Beater
Vehicle Painter
Increasing the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) cap: The RSE scheme allows New Zealand employers to hire workers from Pacific countries for seasonal work in the horticulture and wine sectors. The cap on the number of RSE workers has been increased from 19,000 to 19,500 for the 2023/24 season.
Closing the Recovery Visa: The Recovery Visa was introduced in 2021 to allow people who were in New Zealand on a temporary visa on March 25, 2020 to stay in the country and work for up to three years. The Recovery Visa is being closed to new applicants from September 23, 2023. Existing holders of a Recovery Visa can apply for a three-month extension.
Adding roles to the Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement (CISA): The CISA is an agreement between the government and the construction and infrastructure sector that allows businesses to hire workers from overseas for specific projects. A small number of new roles have been added to the CISA, including:
Driller’s Assistant (821912)
Earthmoving Labourer (821113)
Earthmoving Plant Operator (General) (721211)
Linemarker (721912)
Machine Operators n.e.c (711999)
Mechanic’s Assistant (899916)
Road Traffic Controller (899923)
Requiring a judicial warrant for out-of-hours compliance visits: Immigration New Zealand will now require a judicial warrant before conducting out-of-hours compliance visits. This is to protect the privacy of individuals and businesses.
The changes to New Zealand’s workforce and immigration pathways are welcome news for businesses and workers alike. The changes will make it easier for businesses to find and retain skilled workers, and they will provide more opportunities for workers to immigrate to New Zealand.
