Industry fumes at immigration shift
The Motor Trade Association (MTA) has labelled the government’s immediate axeing of key automotive roles from the immigration green list as a shock and an insult to the collision repair industry.
Erica Stanford, Minister of Immigration, has announced 11 roles the previous government committed to adding to the list have now been pulled and these include panel beater and vehicle painter.
The list is designed to identify New Zealand labour market skill gaps and make it easier for employers to hire and attract high-skilled migrants for those positions by offering a work-to-residence pathway.
A shake-up of the list, which adds six new roles while ditching others, was announced by Stanford on April 7 and came into effect the following day.
Lee Marshall, MTA’s chief executive, says: “The decision is disrespectful to the collision repair industry, and quite frankly ignorant of the labour shortage pressures that businesses in this sector have been suffering for years.
“The process to have these roles added to the green list was rigorous, but the decision to revoke has shown none of the same care.”
Marshall, pictured, adds wait times for collision repair are high across the country, with 92 per cent of businesses recently surveyed having at least one unfilled panel beater or spray painter vacancy.
Many companies also reported multiple vacancies and some larger businesses have more than 10 staff spots that need filling.
The Collision Repair Association, a chapter of the MTA, says the panel and paint industry is also short of about 1,000 skilled workers, or one in five roles in the sector.
Marshall notes there is one Wellington business currently looking for seven panel beaters and five vehicle painters.
Without the certainty of residence the green list offered, it will likely be harder to attract people from overseas.
He warns putting the onus on business owners to lift pay rates also misses the mark because there aren’t enough skilled professionals in the country.
“Overseas workers are still strongly needed,” he continues. “Investing in education locally is the long-term answer, and that’s something we have campaigned heavily on, but it won’t resolve today’s problem. We urge the minister to revisit this decision immediately.”
He says news of the changes to the green list is disappointing after Stanford had committed previously to consult with industry.
“Well, we represent the automotive sector with more than 4000 members, including virtually the entire collision repair sector.
“We will be writing to the minister immediately to express our frustration and ask for some answers.”
The decision is also set to impact motorists as vehicles will be off the road for longer because of delays in getting repairs completed.
Stanford says the changes to immigration rules, which also include amendments to the accredited employment worker visa, aim to create a “smarter immigration system that manages net migration, responds to our changing economic context, attracts top talent, revitalises international education, is self-funding and sustainable, and better manages risk”.
