New Pacific programmes for migrant workers

Monday, 22 August 2022

The New Zealand hospitality industry is battling a labour shortage which has been exacerbated by the border closure and the departure of many migrant workers. (Video first published in July 2021)

A day after defending its decision to pay skilled migrant workers less than the new median wage, the Government has announced new programmes for Pacific labourers in two key sectors.

Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced on Sunday new measures to relieve workplace shortages in the meat and seafood processing sectors.

Both sector agreements will be replaced by the Pacific programmes which will be introduced in 2024.

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New Government measures are expected to relieve workplace shortages in the meat and seafood processing sectors. (File photo)

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Other sectors may also be considered for the Pacific programmes in the future, said Phil Twyford, minister of state for trade and export growth.

Twyford announced on Monday the new Pacific programmes signalled an ambitious agenda for labour mobility opportunities in the region.

“Countries from across the Pacific have been clear with me that they highly value the current Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) scheme, and see labour mobility as a key avenue for promoting economic development, both in their nations and the region,” he said.

“[Sunday’s] announcement by Minister Wood shows that we’ve heard Pacific countries loud and clear on how important labour mobility is for them, and have a plan for how we can deliver on this arrangement and expand beyond the successes of RSE,” Twyford said.

“The meat and seafood processing sectors were identified as suitable for Pacific programmes given the pre-existing recruitment relationships that already exist, their alignment with circular migration, and the benefits skills and experience in these areas would present to the Pacific.”

Wood said the sector agreements announced on Sunday would help sectors transition the wages higher over two or three years.

Wood said the hospitality and tourism sectors were hard hit. The median wage is $27 an hour. Several of the new agreements with the struggling sectors could bring that down to between $24 and $26 an hour, he said.

Wood said the “positive policy” was not discriminatory or illegal because it would ensure New Zealand had a sufficient labour supply for key parts of the economy, and it would lift conditions for workers in these sectors.

Wood also announced on Sunday that doubling of the Working Holiday Scheme cap for 2022/23 would allow an extra 12,000 holidaymakers to work in New Zealand. Through the revitalised and streamlined immigration system, he said this would allow more workers from the aged care sector, construction and tourism.

“Onshore working holidaymakers visas expiring between August 26 2022 and May 31 2023 will be extended for 6 months to keep workers that are already in country, and those offshore given more time to travel,” Wood said.

The National Party said the government had moved at a glacial pace in attracting migrant workers, adding that while it would be a small relief to businesses, the move was too little, too late.

It said Australia had opened applications in January and New Zealand was doing the same mid-year, adding that the visa application fees in New Zealand had nearly doubled.

Twyford said it was “vital that these new programmes work for both New Zealand and our Pacific neighbours.

“We want workers to have a positive experience while employed here, and be able to pick up skills and experience which they can then use to boost economic development in their own countries and continue providing for their families upon returning home.”