Displaying items by tag: immigration

After the Government released details on a new residency pathway, the industry is reacting with relief.

An estimated 9,000 migrants working in New Zealand’s primary industries and their families could benefit from the Government’s new one-off, simplified pathway tor residency, says Agriculture and Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor.

OPINION: For more than a year now the primary sector has been crying out for changed around immigration settings to help ease numerous critical worker shortages right across the country's key export earning industries.

The Meat Industry Association (MIA) says it's facing bureaucratic barriers from Immigration NZ as it tries to get sufficient halal butchers for the coming season.

Visa applications for migrant dairy workers are being declined over a contentious 40-hour working week requirement by the Government.

An award-winning Southland contract milker who was stuck in India for five months is hopeful of being back on farm in time for calving next month.

OPINION: Your canine crusader reckons the recent immigration reset by the Government, restricting the inflow of 'low-skilled' migrant workers into the country, is not only myopic and ideological but also poorly thought-out policy.

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has thrown the worker shortage issue back to farmers, saying the industry must try harder to attract and retain workers.

Allowing only 125 skilled agricultural machinery operators into New Zealand next season falls way short of what's needed, says rural contractors.

Horticultural exporters, growers, food companies and industry leaders are demanding that the Government develops a plan to allow Pacific Island seasonal workers to return later this year.