Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland
26 JULY 2017

Work Visa Record an Attack on Young New Zealanders

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse’s claim the record number of work visas being issued is not keeping New Zealanders out of work is utterly ludicrous, says New Zealand First Leader and Northland Member of Parliament, Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“We have more than 90,000 young New Zealanders who are not in work, education or training and the National government is just letting them remain idle and is not interested in getting them trained and into work.

“Allowing 226,000 work visas to be approved in the 2016/17 financial year is a direct attack on our young people, up 17,000 on last year.

“Is it no wonder that so many young New Zealanders are in despair in their own country because it appears there’s no place for them.

“Net immigration is running at 73,000 and the prediction the number of work visa approvals will increase to 243,000 in the next year means competition for jobs will have an awful intensity.

“This is appalling,” says Mr Peters.
ENDS

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