NZIBA: Accredited Employer Work Visa Changes – A Step In The Right Direction, But Business Interest Remains Unaddressed

Members of the NZ Indian Business Association have been actively engaged in reviewing the recent changes announced by Immigration Minister Erica Stanford, on April 7, 2024. These changes, effective immediately, have garnered cautious appreciation from business members. However, there are concerns regarding the time frames associated with the various stages of the AEWV process, which could extend up to 6 months for hiring a migrant worker.

Though there was a need for a comprehensive review to address exploitative practices in the industry, there is apprehension that genuine employers might miss out on the opportunity to extend genuine employment offers to eligible workers, whether onshore or offshore. It would have been advisable to consider concessions for hiring migrant workers already present in the country, as the current policy might disadvantage such individuals who are actively seeking employment, and are readily employable.

Furthermore, the updated policy document does not address the longstanding demand to replace the Median Wage Rate with the Market Rate, which is proving unsustainable for the majority of the small businesses in the retail and primary sectors.

While the policy change is expected to effectively target rogue elements in the industry, enhancing efficiency in the application processing by reducing time frames and considering waivers for the Median Wage Rate requirement would render the policy more pragmatic.

Jaspreet S Kandhari

(General Secretary)

NZ Indian Business Association (Inc)

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