New Zealand: Several Relaxed Policy Initiatives Aim to Expand Worker Pool
December 15, 2022
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At a Glance
- The New Zealand government will give eligible employers an automatic 12-month extension of their Accreditation under the Accredited Employer Work Visa program and will defer the Accreditation requirement for employers who sponsor temporary visa holders (including open work visa holders) until 2024.
- Furthermore, certain Critical Purpose Visitor Visa holders whose visas have been granted on the basis of being a long-term critical worker are eligible for a further streamlined Specific Purpose visa.
- Lastly, the New Zealand government has expanded the Green List of occupations that are eligible for the Straight to Residence and Work to Residence pathways.
The situation
The New Zealand Government announced additional relaxed immigration rules including a one-off 12-month extension of Employer Accreditation validity, streamlined Specific Purpose visas for a certain group of current Critical Purpose Visitor visa holders and additional occupations added to the Green List.
A closer look
| CHANGE | DETAILS | IMPACT |
| Extension of Employer Accreditation |
|
|
| Specific Purpose visa for Critical Purpose Visitor visa holders |
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| Green List – additional occupations |
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|
Background
The New Zealand government continues to implement relaxed immigration rules to retain foreign nationals and address skills shortages in the country, which is in line with other countries in the region. In Australia, certain Temporary Work and Temporary Skill Shortage visa holders were made eligible to apply for permanent residence to retain foreign nationals.
Looking ahead
It is likely that the New Zealand government will continue to relax existing immigration rules or introduce new beneficial schemes to continue attract and retain foreign national talent as the country continues to attempt to boost its economy by filling skills gaps.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
