Like US, New Zealand Shortens Work Permit Duration, Nigerians, Others Affected

• New Zealand has now established stricter visa regulations, with a focus on reducing the duration of work permits
• The new law takes effect immediately and is geared towards lowering the risks of putting New Zealanders out of work
• It is, however, anticipated that specific roles within the transportation and care industries will be exempt

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over three years of experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

In reaction to unsustainable net migration, New Zealand has tightened its visa regulations, establishing language and skill restrictions and reducing the duration of work permits.

The country's minister of immigration, Erica Stanford, announced on Sunday that the changes to the Accredited Employer Worker Visa (AEWV) scheme had taken effect immediately.

With the move, New Zealand is said to be testing the local labour market and lowering the risks of putting New Zealanders out of work, according to a CNN Travel report.

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New Zealanders to be prioritised

Stanford said that although there are still skill shortages in some fields like education, it is essential to ensure that New Zealanders are given preference when applying for jobs without a skill gap.

Among the changes made to the AEWV plan are a new minimum skill requirement in the form of job experience or qualifications, a shorter maximum continuous stay on an AEWV, and the introduction of a minimum standard of English.

Before hiring migrants, employers must confirm that the candidates fit these qualifications.

They also must disclose that no other qualified New Zealander applied for the position previously offered to the migrant.

As mandated by New Zealand's ministry of business, innovation and employment, employers must also list job openings for at least 21 days and explain "why any New Zealanders who applied were not hired."

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Per the ministry of business, innovation and employment website, specific jobs in the transportation and care industries would be free from these regulations.

Legit.ng reported that US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a Temporary and Final Rule (TFR) extending the automatic extension period for some Employment Authorisation Documents (EADs) from 180 days to a maximum of 540 days to streamline access to work permits for eligible non-citizens.

The scheme builds on recent improvements to reduce processing times for EADs.

New Zealand updates work visa

Legit.ng also reported that New Zealand earlier announced it would no longer include 90-day trial periods in employment contracts for persons on Accredited Employer Work Visas (AEWV).

According to a report, the move aims to address genuine labour shortages and facilitate equitable treatment within employment agreements for work visa holders.

This means employers are now to hire migrant workers only when there is a demonstrable demand for labour or a specific skills gap to be filled.

Source: Legit.ng