New Zealand tightens visa rules
New Zealand has implemented stricter visa regulations, imposing language and skill requirements while reducing work permit durations in response to what officials describe as “unsustainable net migration.”
The adjustments to the Accredited Employer Worker Visa (AEWV) program took effect immediately, aiming to enhance scrutiny of the local labor market and mitigate the risk of displacing New Zealanders from employment, announced Erica Stanford, the country’s Immigration Minister, on Sunday.
According to a statement, 173,000 non-New Zealand citizens migrated to the country in 2023.
Stanford acknowledged ongoing skill shortages, particularly in sectors like education, but emphasized the necessity of prioritizing job opportunities for local residents where no such shortages exist.
Key modifications to the AEWV scheme involve the introduction of minimum English proficiency standards, along with new criteria requiring work experience or qualifications. Additionally, the maximum continuous stay permitted under AEWV has been reduced to three years.
Employers are now mandated to ensure migrants meet these criteria before recruitment. They must also confirm that no suitable local candidate applied for a position before offering it to a migrant. Job postings must be advertised for a minimum of 21 days, and employers must provide explanations for not selecting New Zealand applicants, as per directives from New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Certain roles within the transport and care sectors will be exempt from these stringent requirements, as indicated on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website.
