New Zealand Allows 100% More Temporary Workers For Limited Time! Nation Facing Shortage Of Workers

New Zealand is witnessing record low unemployment rates and its economy is scrambling to plug a workers’ shortage in key sectors like hospitality and tourism. 

Changes In Immigration Rules

During COVID pandemic, the country has shut down its borders almost entirely.

Now the country is seeking to hire thousands of extra workers to plug a labor shortage hence planning to make temporary changes to its immigration rules, according to the Immigration Minister Michael Wood informer in a statement on Sunday.

Further adding that the government was aiming at temporarily doubling numbers under the working holiday visa scheme.

More Opportunity For Workers

Usually this visa scheme allows people to enter and work from New Zealand for a period of up to 12 months.

Sometimes they allow for a longer period if they’re from select countries like the UK or Canada.

The country is hoping for 12,000 extra workers over the year by throwing open more working holiday visa slots.

Wood said, “These measures are about providing immediate relief to those businesses hardest hit by the global worker shortage,” in a statement.

Relaxation of Wage Rules 

Michael Wood noted that there would be relaxation of wage rules for skilled migrants in key sectors including aged care, construction, infrastructure, meat processing, seafood and adventure tourism.

The move is meant for the businesses as they are slowly able to build necessary skills in the country.

Temporarily, a temporary extension of working holiday visas by six months is announced by Wood.

This is an opportunity for those who previously held the visa but didn’t travel to New Zealand because of COVID.

He said, “COVID brought the world to a standstill,”. 

Further adding that a workers’ crunch was being felt most by New Zealand’s hospitality and tourism sectors that traditionally rely on international workers.

During COVID, New Zealand’s response was unusually draconian by global standards. 

 In hopes to keep the virus out altogether, the isolated and remote islands closed their borders almost entirely during the pandemic, but ultimately failed in this goal.  

At last, it reopened on July 31 this year.

During the second quarter which runs from April until June, New Zealand’s unemployment rate remains at record lows, at around 3.3% as per Statistics New Zealand.

At the same time, the annual growth in private-sector wages increased to 3.4% in the second quarter, which is also the most rapid increase in 14 years.