Source: Federated Farmers
ACT’s proposed Rural Workforce Visa would make New Zealand more attractive to migrant workers and help address persistent labour shortages on farms, Federated Farmers says.
“Farmers have been crying out for a more practical immigration system, and ACT’s proposed approach is a big step in the right direction,” Federated Farmers immigration spokesperson Karl Dean says.
“This proposed visa would provide a clear pathway to residence, which would help make New Zealand a lot more appealing to migrant workers.
“The fact is that a lot of migrants have been heading to other markets like Canada or Australia, which offer an easier pathway.
“It’s an issue Federated Farmers has been speaking up about for a long time now, so it’s good to see it being addressed.
“This is exactly the sort of policy we want to see from political parties – ideas that tackle real problems and deliver real benefits for rural New Zealand and the ag sector.”
Dean says Kiwi farmers have faced ongoing difficulties securing a reliable pipeline of yearlong workers.
“Too often we have farm employers in desperate need of staff but unable to find them, particularly during the busiest times of year, like calving.
“If we can make it easier for migrant workers to come here – and stay here – that’s going to take so much pressure off farmers.”
Dean says ACT needs to clarify whether there would be a cool-down period in the new system, where the worker must go back to their home country between reapplication for the visa.
“It will take two three-year terms to qualify for the cumulative six years for the residency pathway, so we need to know if workers need to go home in the middle.
“That detail will matter for both employers and workers planning long-term.”
Dean says it’s promising that, while these roles would need to be advertised to Kiwis every three years, they could easily be renewed to fill workforce shortages.
He adds that it’s promising to see the visa would be exempt from the infrastructure levy that ACT proposed in May.
“However, as we said in May, we still strongly oppose that $6 per day infrastructure surcharge that ACT is proposing for seasonal visas,” Dean says.
“It would amount to a $2200 employer tax for farmers. We don’t need new taxes – what we need is less government spending.
“I urge the ACT party to rule that infrastructure surcharge out entirely.”