The expansion of the Work to Residence immigration
pathway to include more skilled tradespeople reflects the
real needs of businesses, says the EMA.
From 18
August, 10 trades occupations, including welders, fitters,
metal fabricators, panel beaters and paving plant operators,
will be added to the Green List’s Work to Residence
pathway.
EMA Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement Lead
Joanna Hall says the announcement acknowledges what
businesses have long been expressing.
“These are roles
that our members have been struggling to fill for some
time,” she says.
“The EMA has been pushing hard for
greater recognition of these skilled trades roles in our
immigration settings.
“These aren’t just labour
shortages, these are productivity chokepoints.”
The
policy change supports the government’s effort to better
balance the immigration system, which has traditionally
favoured tertiary-qualified applicants.
“Immigration
Minister Erica Stanford’s comments around ensuring the
system better reflects a broader set of valuable skills –
not just those tied to a university degree – is a positive
step in the right direction,” says
Hall.
“Skilled trades are essential to New
Zealand’s manufacturing, construction and infrastructure
sectors. These businesses make up the bulk of our
membership, so we’re well aware of the struggles they have
faced in filling key roles.
“Migrants
help lift productivity and pass on knowledge that
strengthens the local workforce.”
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The new Work to
Residence eligibility criteria require applicants to have
two years of relevant experience in New Zealand and meet
health, character, and wage thresholds.
Hourly wage
thresholds range from $38.59 to $43.63 depending on the
role, with annual salaries between $80,267 and $90,750 based
on a 40-hour week.
However, Hall says some of these
thresholds may be out of sync with real market
conditions.
“While we support mechanisms that uphold
quality, the wage thresholds do seem high for certain roles
and could limit access if they aren’t aligned with
industry rates.
“We urge Immigration NZ to ensure
these thresholds are grounded in reality.
“In
addition, it’s important that the value of these trades is
recognised not only in the Green List but also in the
Skilled Migrant Category.”
The EMA continues to
support balanced and evidence-based immigration policy that
reflects workforce realities and helps New Zealand
businesses
grow.
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