Thursday, 12 May 2022 14:25

Relief for vets as profession makes Govt's new Green List

Written by Staff Reporters

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NZVA chief executive Kevin Bryant.

A welcome relief – that’s how the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) is describing the decision to include veterinarians on the new Government Green List.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the Green List which is designed to provide a streamlined and prioritised pathway to residency, incentivising highly skilled workers to relocate to New Zealand long term.

The list includes 85 hard-to-fill roles, including veterinarians, to help attract and retain high-skilled workers to alleviate skill shortages.

NZVA chief executive Kevin Bryant says he welcomes the news, adding it was urgently required to help tackle the current workforce shortage in veterinary practices across the country.

“Veterinary professionals have been under incredible pressure ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began," Bryant says. "Being included on the Green List will make it much easier to actively recruit highly-skilled veterinarians to work here."

Visa extensions have also been announced for approximately 20,000 migrants already in New Zealand to ensure skilled workers can stay in the country.

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