Editorial: A Poor Policy
OPINION: At a time when farmers are advocating for less government spending and no new taxes, the dairy sector is rightly concerned by ACT's new immigration policy.
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.
