December 18th, 2024
In response to a near-record net migration figure, New Zealand's Immigration Minister, Erica Stanford, today announced a series of immediate changes to the Accredited Employer Worker Visa (AEWV) scheme. These reforms are designed to attract essential skills to rebuild the economy, prioritise employment for New Zealanders in non-skill shortage areas, and mitigate migrant exploitation.
The big picture:
The government's approach to managing net migration strategically aims to attract and retain highly skilled migrants, such as secondary teachers, amidst migration figures reaching 173,000 non-New Zealand citizens in 2023.
Measures reintroduce pre-pandemic settings, include an English language requirement for low-skilled roles, and reduce the maximum stay for certain visa categories.
Details:
Enhancing the AEWV scheme: "I am bringing in a suite of changes that will improve the AEWV scheme and ensure we are better testing the local labour market and reducing the risks of putting New Zealanders out of work," Stanford stated, highlighting the focus on improving local labour market testing and reducing the risk of displacement for New Zealand workers.
Addressing exploitation: The introduction of an English language requirement and a skills threshold aims to prevent migrant exploitation. Stanford remarked, “By having an English language requirement migrants will be better able to understand their rights or raise concerns about an employer early.”
Refining the focus: Decisions not to expand the Green List with additional roles and to close the Work to Residence pathway for bus and truck drivers reflect a strategic pivot towards genuine skill and labour shortages.
What they're saying:
Stanford underlined the balance between supporting the economy and managing infrastructure pressures, stating, "It is important that the AEWV settings facilitate the right mix of skilled temporary migrants to address genuine skill and labour shortages, support rebuilding the economy, and to help manage numbers and pressures on core infrastructure, such as schools, housing, and the health system."
What's next:
These reforms signal the beginning of an extensive work programme aimed at establishing a smarter, more sustainable, and risk-aware immigration system that aligns with New Zealand's economic and societal goals.