The New Zealand government will lift the cap on skilled foreign workers
To attract employees and fill skill shortages, the government will modify skilled migrant visa standards.
Today, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced the revisions, saying they were necessary "as the global labour shortage bites" and several industries needed people.
He said that reforms, such as a "simplified" points system and lifting restrictions on skilled migrants, would make it easier to recruit and keep enough qualified people to meet demand over the medium to long term.
According to Wood, the old system's "artificial constraint" of a fixed annual quota for skilled migrants has been lifted.
He claimed it discouraged qualified immigrants from moving to New Zealand, even when a need was demonstrated.
To provide a transparent skills threshold dependent on New Zealand occupational registration, recognised qualifications, or income, a streamlined points system will be implemented in early October.
Working in New Zealand will clear the path to permanent residency for most people and speed it up for those with specialised skills.
To fix a long-standing problem in which some people with no road to their residence were offered false hope, the standards will provide temporary workers with clarity about their status.
Wood acknowledged that offering talented migrants and their families confidence over a pathway to residence would be "a big draw card" in luring them to New Zealand.
He explained that the new skilled migrant's visa system will function with the Green List, which targets people with specific skill sets and is designed to fill positions of critical national importance.
Because of this and other changes, Immigration New Zealand can process applications more quickly.
The maximum length of an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) would also increase from three to five years beginning in November, he added.
That was done to coincide with the implementation of a maximum continuous stay on that visa of five years for those who are not in a lawful immigration status adjustment process.
He explained that after hearing from businesses, the period was extended beyond the three years that had been planned.
The principal temporary work visa in the country, according to Wood, allows companies to "plug short-term gaps" in their workforces with the help of foreign workers.
Those who don't meet the residency requirements will know how long they must find employment and settle in New Zealand. Businesses will have more stability in the long run, thanks to a maximum continuous stay of five years.
We appreciate the significance of the immigration system to the economic development of our country. We're dedicated to collaborating with businesses to find the optimal middle ground.
