In a bid to align New Zealand's immigration policies with its economic needs and mitigate migrant exploitation, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford has announced immediate adjustments to the Accredited Employer Worker Visa (AEWV) scheme.
“Getting our immigration settings right is critical to this Government’s plan to rebuild the economy," she said.
“The Government is focused on attracting and retaining the highly skilled migrants such as secondary teachers, where there is a skill shortage. At the same time, we need to ensure that New Zealanders are put to the front of the line for jobs where there are no skills shortages,” Stanford added.
Migration statistics from 2023 underscored the significance of these adjustments, with nearly 173,000 non-New Zealand citizens entering the country, nearing a record high.
The proposed changes aim to enhance the AEWV scheme by better assessing the local labor market and minimizing the displacement of New Zealand workers. Stanford clarified that many adjustments are not novel but rather a return to pre-pandemic norms that strike a balance between business needs and national interests.
“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. Many of these are not new, but rather a return to pre-pandemic settings that better balanced the needs of business with the wider interests of New Zealand," she said.
Key changes include:
