Immigration changes ‘overdue’

National has condemned the government for failing to reopen the skilled migrant category sooner, saying it is something that should have happened months ago.

The party’s immigration spokeswoman, Erica Stanford, says skilled workers needed here continued to snub New Zealand for other countries such as Australia, which never closed this category.

Stanford, pictured, adds there are also doubts about how fast new visas could be processed with major delays across every visa category.

“National has persistently called on the government to open the skilled migrant category to support businesses during the worst labour shortage in 50 years,” she explains.

“Its decision to keep the category closed all year meant the skilled workers that businesses are short of had no pathway to residence.”

The Greens believe the new settings discriminate against those on lower incomes.

Immigration spokesman Ricardo Menendez March says they prioritise the needs of high-salaried families and businesses.

He adds raising the points for skilled migrants to attain residency may lock out some people who have already been in this country for years.

Michael Wood, Minister of Immigration, says the new system will see a lower component of low-skill, low-wage labour.

“That’s a deliberate decision we have brought into the system,” he explains. “We don’t think that was fair or sustainable for New Zealand or for those workers. Overall, more people who come and contribute to New Zealand are likely now to have residency pathways providing more certainty.”

Under the old settings, the threshold was set along with an artificial planning range. This meant many people might have qualified, but weren’t allowed in. The new system has no cap, but a higher threshold “focused on skills we need”.

Wood adds: “There’s no planning range now. We’ll be able to be responsive to the need that there is for the skills.”

Meanwhile, James McDowall, Act’s immigration spokesman, says the government’s “cruel attempt” at an immigration reset has failed, forcing it to reopen categories it previously shunned.

“Act welcomes the end of Labour’s expensive experiment and the return of the skilled migrant and parent categories,” adds McDowall. “Unfortunately for New Zealand businesses, it took an unprecedented labour shortage for them to wake up.

“However, we are disappointed to learn the points required for the skilled migrant category will increase to 180 from January 18, 2023, meaning most applicants will have to amend their applications and many will miss out.

“Another concern is Immigration NZ’s lethargic processing. They’re only processing about 12 per cent of work visas they were prior to lockdown. There needs to be assurances these new categories won’t be besieged with the same backlogs Immigration NZ currently has.

“Labour believed if they kept the borders closed, that would drive up wages and get more Kiwis into work. Instead, businesses have gone to the wall and families are separated. Even with these changes, the first selection under the new parent category settings won’t take place until August 2023, which is too far away.

“Act would also dump the labour-market test, industry-specific wage requirements, and transfer restrictions. Foreign workers should be able to work for accredited employers so long as they are employed consistent with New Zealand law.”