Editorial: Dairy visa woes set to ease
OPINION: Dairy farmers will be breathing easier thanks to the Government last month delivering a Christmas gift in the form of immigration reforms.
From today, eligible skilled migrants with a job or a job offer in specific roles on the Straight to Residence pathway will be able to apply for residence, both from on shore and overseas.
The Straight to Residence pathway is designed to provide an incentive for migrants who have skills in hard-to-fill, nationally significant roles that New Zealand needs, says Immigration Minister Michael Wood.
He says the pathway offers potential migrants on New Zealand Immigration’s Green List – which includes dairy farm managers and dairy herd managers – with more certainty.
“The streamlined process makes it easier for employers to attract and hire people that will help address shortages in these highly skilled areas.
“This is one of three new residence pathways introduced as part of the Government’s immigration rebalance. Skilled migrants on the ‘Work to Residence’ and ‘Highly Paid’ resident pathways will be able to apply from 29 September 2023, once they have obtained 24 months of acceptable work in New Zealand,” Wood says.
Wood also confirmed details of the next three years of the Refugee Quota Programme, including the composition of the 2022/23 quota.
He says the programme is back to full capacity and will see 1,500 refugees resettled each year.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.
Following heavy rain which caused flooding in parts of Nelson-Tasman and sewerage overflows in Marlborough, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging homeowners and tenants to be cautious when cleaning up and to take the right steps to support claims.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
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