Hundreds of overseas recruits head to Taranaki to fill job gaps

Friday, 19 May 2023

Taranaki employers have looked overseas for solutions to fill vacancies in their workplaces. (File photo)

Major Taranaki employers are increasingly recruiting overseas workers to beat labour shortages reportedly being made worse by local employees failing drug tests or simply not turning up to work.

While the exact number of people specifically recruited from overseas to work in Taranaki is unknown, at least 200 will be housed in accommodation at the Pacific International Hotel Management School (Pihms) in Bell Block come July.

It is understood some of the new arrivals at Pihms, including those from Vietnam, are working at Tegel’s Bell Block poultry factory, while another group will be employed by Dialog Fitzroy as part of shutdown work planned at Methanex.

The minimum hourly wage rate in New Zealand is $22.70, but for shutdown jobs some roles can attract up to $32 per hour, and potentially more.

While Covid-19 had played a major role in absenteeism, worker and skills shortages have also been factors, impacting many industries, including process and manufacturing work, hospitality, health and construction.

Tegel employs about 900 people at its Bell Block plant, which produces much of the fresh and frozen chicken supply for the North Island. (File Photo)

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Anzco Foods general manager of operations Darryl Tones says the company is bearing the brunt of staff shortages, like many others. (File photo)

Tegel, which employs 900 people in Taranaki, initially offered to arrange an interview with one of their overseas recruits, but later said none were interested.

The company itself refused to engage in any manner about the overseas recruitment issue.

Another coy in its response was Fonterra.

Its spokesperson said a recruitment drive for the company was under way, including in Taranaki, but provided no response to direct questions about whether it was looking offshore for workers.

However, Anzco Foods, which has factories in Eltham and Waitara, confirmed it looked overseas for workers when needed.

Its general manager of operations, Darryl Tones, said the company faced staff shortages like many others.

Taranaki Chamber of Commerce chief executive Arun Chaudhari says while employers could be more creative in terms of recruitment, people looking for work needed to up their game as well. (File photo)

Anzco Foods produces all the McDonald’s meat patties eaten in New Zealand and across the Pacific.

The raw meat is processed at its Eltham meatworks, with the patties made at its Waitara plant.

Tones said during peak times, it often recruited seasonal workers from the Pacific Islands.

“Accessing offshore workers is becoming easier again following borders reopening after Covid-19, and we continue to assess opportunities to recruit offshore workers so we can maintain capacity for our farmer-suppliers,” he said in a statement.

New Plymouth MP Glen Bennett says there are initiatives taking place in the region to try and address the labour shortage issue.

Gillian Campbell, Te Whatu Ora Taranaki interim hospital and specialist services lead, said it was “actively looking” overseas in terms of advertising its healthcare vacancies.

“So far this year we have recruited seven international staff into clinical roles,” she said in a statement.

There was also several initiatives in place to improve staffing levels, including financial support to assist nurses to get the additional training they needed to return to the profession.

Taranaki Chamber of Commerce chief executive Arun Chaudhari was aware employers had looked overseas to recruit workers, including nurses, and there were “large numbers” of migrants coming to the region to work.

Pihms has struck a deal with a recruitment company to offer workers accommodation at its Bell Block premises. (File photo)

Not withstanding the country’s record low unemployment rate, Chaudhari said there were still many Kiwis looking for jobs.

He said this provided an opportunity for employers to think outside the box in terms of the type of person they looked to hire, but there was a need for job-seekers to “lift their game” too.

This included people turning up on time, being drug-free and having a positive attitude while on the job, he said.

Chaudhari also acknowledged the “time-critical” work some employers were involved with meant they had to secure a reliable pool of workers quickly.

Chaudhari’s points were backed up by the views of the boss of a Taranaki-based labour hire company, who did not want to be identified.

He said jobs in the region were in good supply, some having immediate start dates and good conditions, but it was “hard yakka” to always find dependable people to fill them.

Some recruits walked off the job after only a few days, while others failed drug or alcohol testing requirements needed by some employers, he said.

New Plymouth MP Glen Bennett said he was aware of the frustration and pressure the labour shortage issue was having on the region’s businesses.

He pointed to initiatives in Taranaki like the regional skills leadership group, and programmes run by the Ministry of Social Development to get people ready for work, as means to try and address the issue.

Bennett said altered immigration settings had also provided a way for increased numbers of migrants and working visa holders to help bolster the Taranaki workforce.

Pihms previously said it had inked a deal with an Australian-based company who were tasked with bringing offshore workers to the country to fill jobs in the general labour market.

Dean McCallum, Pihms’ marketing director, confirmed 200 workers would be staying in its accommodation by the middle of the year.