Government announces reset of immigration system Monday, May 17, 2021 RNZ
The skilled migrant category will be reviewed and employer requirements strengthened as part of what the government calls a once-in-a generation reset of the immigration system.
Tourism Minister Stuart Nash - standing in for Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi, who was unwell - made the speech this evening.
He conceded there were no new announcements in speech tonight, saying instead that it set the direction of travel. There has been ad hoc announcements here and there, he said. As far as I m aware we ve never had a scene-setting speech about immigration, talking about the whole work programme that is in place and what we are looking to do in a post-Covid world.
The pressure we have seen on housing and infrastructure in recent years means we need to get ahead of population growth.
The government would strengthen employer requirements and labour market tests before a migrant could be hired so temporary workers were only recruited for genuine job shortages.
The skilled migrant category would also be reviewed, he said.
New border exemptions would allow 200 high-value investors to travel to New Zealand in the next year to see if they wanted to invest.
The tourism industry would also be scrutinised to look at lifting industry standards and to encourage innovation and improvements. The exploitation of temporary migrant workers - such as paying less than the minimum wage or making people work excessive hours - is unacceptable and breaches New Zealand law, Nash said.
Speech – New Zealand Government
Thank you for the invitation to speak to you today, and to share with you some of the Government’s thinking leading into this year’s budget.
This will be my fourth time delivering the annual Budget for the Government, though the events of the past year have thrown out that calculation. As we grappled with COVID 19 last year the government produced what amounted to three Budgets, so by my count I am now up to six.
What strikes me though in terms of being here to speak to you about Budget 2021 is not that the routine is growing old, but rather the fact that is it an achievement for us to have returned to the traditional landmarks of the political year.
Monday, 10 May 2021, 10:26 am
Thank you for the invitation to speak to you today, and
to share with you some of the Government’s thinking
leading into this year’s budget.
This will be my
fourth time delivering the annual Budget for the Government,
though the events of the past year have thrown out that
calculation. As we grappled with COVID 19 last year the
government produced what amounted to three Budgets, so by my
count I am now up to six.
What strikes me though in
terms of being here to speak to you about Budget 2021 is not
that the routine is growing old, but rather the fact that is