Tag Archives: Immigration law changes

Will the new KiwiBuild visa cut the mustard for migrant workers?

KiwiBuild visa changes

On the 27th of June the Government announced it is revising the KiwiBuild visa scheme and changing immigration settings to try to address New Zealand’s shortage in construction workers. But will these changes address the issues?

New Zealand as a destination is a difficult sell even for large construction companies. It takes a lot to get a builder from the UK to move to New Zealand, where the cost of living is high but the wages are not.

It’s even harder if you can’t offer that person the certainty of residence. If the potential talent that might be recruited using these schemes can’t get a residence visa, the ability of employers to attract that talent will be compromised.

Continue reading Will the new KiwiBuild visa cut the mustard for migrant workers? →

Time to ask for a pay rise…

Blog, News, Skilled Migrant Visa, ,

If you want to be granted a Skilled Migrant Category Residence visa in 2018 you should check your eligibility against the new Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment SMC criteria.

Last week, the MBIE updated the SMC visa and changed the remuneration (payment) threshold that will meet the eligible criteria for migrants.

Continue reading Time to ask for a pay rise… →

A letter to the New Zealand Government

Blog, News, Skilled Migrant Visa, Student Visa, , , ,

To the Right Hon. Jacinda Adern and the Hon. Iain Lees-Galloway,

Welcome to Government. I am looking forward to the next 100 days. I am hoping some of rank injustice created by your predecessors will be swept away.

You said your Government will be empathetic. I am hoping you’ll have some empathy for those New Zealanders whose parents have been left in limbo since the National Government’s cancellation of the Parent Category.

Continue reading A letter to the New Zealand Government →

Building boom without a skilled labour force?

Blog, News, , , , ,

With Labour looking to create 100,000 new houses for first home buyers within the next decade, who is going to build these homes? With the building industry already facing a labour shortage and currently filling the skilled positions with overseas workers, who will be left to fill the demand when immigration numbers are cut?

This morning reporter Tom Furley from Radio New Zealand discussed the potentially compromising position the New Zealand Government have put themselves in with their plan to cut immigration numbers.

Continue reading Building boom without a skilled labour force? →

Immigration net migration numbers will be cut to 30K a year

Blog, News, Skilled Migrant Visa, , ,

New Zealand’s new prime minister Jacinda Ardern has vowed to honour Labour’s election promise to cut net migration to 20,000 to 30,000 a year.

She also predicted that New Zealand will be facing an economic slowdown which she plans to prepare for:

Continue reading Immigration net migration numbers will be cut to 30K a year →

What impact will Winston Peters bring to the migrant community?

News, Skilled Migrant Visa, , , ,

What Impact will Winston Peters bring to the migrant community?

The results of the election suggest the next year will be very interesting for the migrant community.

As predicted, Winston Peters is kingmaker. For 21 years Peters has pushed an anti-migrant platform, and we can expect that any coalition deal New Zealand First makes – whether with Labour or National – will include some attempt to curtail immigration numbers.

Continue reading What impact will Winston Peters bring to the migrant community? →

New Immigration rules will severely impact New Zealand business

Blog, Employer information, News, Skilled Migrant Visa, , ,

Analysis of the new immigration law changes has so far focused on the effects on the economy and the flow of migrants. But there are several other ramifications of the recent law changes that have been overlooked.

As the changes restrict pathways to residence under the skilled migrant category, New Zealand employers will find it more difficult to fill positions. Some employers may have roles available that would have been previously been defined as skilled jobs but with the new income thresholds that will no longer be the case.

Continue reading New Immigration rules will severely impact New Zealand business →

Government announces changes to immigration laws

Blog, News, Skilled Migrant Visa, , ,

Quick outline of the changes:

  • Two remuneration thresholds are being introduced.
  • One remuneration threshold will be set at the New Zealand median income of $48,859 a year for jobs that are currently considered skilled.
  • The other threshold will be set at 1.5 times the New Zealand median income of $73,299 a year for jobs that are not currently considered skilled but are well paid.

    • Continue reading Government announces changes to immigration laws →

Government to update immigration laws

Blog, News

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse is set to outline changes to the immigration system in a speech in Queenstown tomorrow.

English, speaking to media Tuesday at his post-cabinet press conference, was coy on the details but said the changes were about “controlling the flows.”
However, he wouldn’t go as far as to say the government would specifically target reducing record net inflows seen in recent months. He warned that migrants to New Zealand were still required and that cutting inflows too much could reduce economic growth.

Continue reading Government to update immigration laws →