Source: Federated Farmers
Two new forms of seasonal work visas will give farmers and growers better access and certainty for securing skilled staff in specialised roles, Federated Farmers says.
“Once again this Government has listened carefully to what industries need to keep productivity ticking over, and responded with practical and balanced policy settings,” Feds immigration and employment spokesperson Karl Dean says.
“Federated Farmers and allied sector representatives have been working with Minister Erica Stanford and her officials on this and we’re pleased with the outcome.”
Sheep scanners, shearers, rural contracting mobile plant operators and others in specialist roles often move between the southern and northern hemispheres chasing work in the busy seasons.
“It will really give employers a lot more certainty to know those specialised workers who prove themselves can return here for subsequent seasons for three years under the new Global Workforce Seasonal Visa.”
Likewise, the new Peak Seasonal Visa (PSV) gives farmers, rural contractors and the meat processing industry more confidence they can secure staff when seasonal workloads ramp up, Dean says.
“Calf rearers, relief milkers, wool handlers, meat boners and process workers can also find work around the world.
“Until now, the Working Holiday Visa has served as a pseudo seasonal visa for these kinds of workers, but not all countries can access this visa, and age restrictions cut people out from applying,” Dean says.
“The PSV is more practical for both employers and seasonal workers and should prove much better for tracking uptake and seasonal workforce needs.”
Employers will need to advertise these seasonal roles, and engage with the Ministry of Social Development, to ensure New Zealand workers continue to be prioritised.
“Farmers prefer to hire able Kiwis but the fact is they’re often just not willing or available to work in the more remote rural areas,” Dean says.
“Having the option of employing migrant workers provides a much-needed lifeline for many farming employers.
“Without them, productivity suffers and existing team members are at risk of burning out during seasonal peak workloads.”
These two visas, alongside last year’s changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa, mean farmers and growers now have a suite of migrant worker settings that are fit-for-purpose, and attractive to skilled overseas workers.
“Now we just need a smooth transition for highly skilled agricultural workers into ‘green list’ roles and pathways to permanent residency,” Dean says.
“We’ll continue to work with the Minister on that.”
