Kiwibuild visa replaced with new Kiwibuild skills shortage list

The Government has scrapped its KiwiBuild Visa plan in favour of wider proposed changes to immigration settings to fix a 30,000 worker gap in construction.

The government-is trying to make the process easier for employers to recruit the staff they need to work in construction and fast track the immigration process for workers who meet the right criteria.

The proposed changes include a KiwiBuild Skills Shortages list which would set up a simplified process for employers to quickly hire overseas workers in critical roles without Immigration NZ needing to conduct a market test each time.

This is based on the model used by the last Government to bring in workers to help with the Canterbury rebuild.

Changes to immigration settings, in a nutshell:

  • KiwiBuild Skills Shortage List aims to speed up the process to fill in-demand roles
  • An employer accreditation scheme for construction employers that exhibit good practices to recruit overseas workers and allow for simplicity of processing visa applications
  • Specific requirements to accredit labour hire companies to manage the risk of worker exploitation and the potential for undercutting of wages and conditions of New Zealand workers and to incentivise good employment practices.

You can read more about the changes here:

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