Settling and Retaining Migrants – Employers
Hiring the right employee is an investment, and with a bit of thought a retention plan
The need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 is paramount. Possibly mandatory for employment in certain situations, useful for entry into many venues domestically and significant in determining international travel eligibility. Along with which isolation and testing regimes are required for the destination country, transit countries and country of origin if a return trip is planned. Clearly, vaccination passports for international travel are now a reality.
Currently, pre-departure Covid-19 testing is mandatory for most long distance travellers prior to their departure for New Zealand with exceptions limited to enfants, those with medical conditions and a number of neighbouring countries.
The question remains unanswered as to the next step as to whether Covid-19 vaccination will be made mandatory for entry to New Zealand. Many New Zealanders are quick to reference Section 18 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights 1990 which gives citizens the right to enter New Zealand. Individual rights are not always absolute particularly during a world wide health crisis when preserving life and livelihoods takes priority. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that New Zealanders and their nearest and dearest will be banned because they are not vaccinated or unable to be vaccinated. They however may need to undergo additional testing, longer MQ and generally less flexible options than those who are vaccinated.
Those who need a visa are however a different category in that immigration legislation. Regulations and instructions all explicitly require that approvals are not forthcoming if the applicant is likely to pose a health risk. Making vaccination mandatory is reasonable and pragmatic although provision for those unable to be vaccinated for genuine medical reasons a necessity.
Vaccination passports are coming and are likely to be an application on the travellers smartphone, or for those without smartphones, will need to print a hard copy before beginning their journey. Think of the boarding pass Air New Zealand currently uses.
Many countries, including New Zealand, according to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, are working on a Covid-19 vaccine passport to allow their nationals to travel around the world, however, a global standard is yet to be developed or perhaps more accurately, agreed upon.
The UK has the NHS COVID Pass, in digital format or hard copy version, administered by that Government’s public-health service. On the continent all 27 members of the EU along with Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein have the EU Covid Certificate again in digital or hard copy. Japan already has a vaccination certificate recognised by Italy, Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Poland. Australia will have these available in October.
The airline industry has been proactive with Air New Zealand trialing, when trans-Tasman travel was available, an application developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). While that particular bubble has well and truly been burst, I am sure valuable insight was gained. More recently IATA also began a two-week trial of its Digital Travel Pass on flights between Singapore and London and Qantas has already declared they plan to exclude travellers who aren’t vaccinated.
The world will reopen to international travel and we can all prepare for this by promoting Covid-19 vaccinations.
For more immigration and travel news and information from the Heartland Immigration team read here.
Disclaimer:Mary Noonan is Heartland Immigration Ltd Managing Director, her views expressed in this article are not intended to replace the professional service provided to individual migrants by a Licensed or Registered Immigration Adviser or Migration Agent.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) are excelling themselves with various ad hoc visa rule alterations over recent weeks, and we have got more on Accredited Employer Work Visas.
Visa updates
Accredited Employer Work Visas (AEWV) update – The introduction of the Accredited Employer Work Visas (AEWV) has suddenly been delayed until mid 2022. Employers don’t be complacent, new staff members still need full documentation, and you will be grateful to have recorded evidence of your immigration compliance history moving forward. Meanwhile, applications for the Accredited Talent Employer, Labour Hire Accreditation and Approval in Principle, other than for crew of fishing vessels, closed on the 30 June 2021.
Border exceptions for the dairy industry – The latest exceptions allow up to 150 dairy farm workers in management roles on farms, up to 50 workers in dairy assistant roles, and up to 50 general practice vets to enter New Zealand, along with their partners and dependent children. Minimum salary rates and specific prior experience apply, so logistics and costing make these exemptions difficult to qualify for.
Instructions for work visa temporarily relaxed – The need to provide supporting documentation such as advertising, contracts, medicals and police certificates is currently relaxed for onshore work visa applicants continuing in existing employment.
INZ temporarily closes online work visas – Until 1 September 2021 work visa applications must be couriered to INZ in hard copy. Leaping back to the past.
Medium hourly wage of $27 – Job offers under this rate are considered to be lower skilled for work visas and for work visa determination. Skilled Migration Category (SMC) job offers will need to meet this new medium hourly wage rate.
Two year work visas for lower skilled workers – Onshore work visas for lower skilled workers can now be granted for 24 months.
Visitor, work and student visas applications withdrawn – Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has begun the process of lapsing 50,000 temporary visa applications and refunding the application fees. Cited as necessary due to the border restrictions, this is devastating to many applicants, their families, schools and employers. The en masse action does not take into account applicants who will be eligible for border exceptions, the extreme skill shortages negatively affecting productivity and the humanitarian aspects, and makes the business of visas that much more complicated. If you, your employer or family member receives one of these notifications, seek professional help now to reassess your unique situation.
Working Holiday (WH) and Supplementary Seasonal Employment (SSE) – Holders in NZ are automatically gaining a further six months if their visas expire between 21 June and 31 December 2021. Those with Supplementary Seasonal Employment (SSE) renewals will now allow the holder to work for any employer in any industry. All other SSE work visa holders are only able to work for approved employers to plant, maintain, harvest or pack crops.
Winter in NZ
Winter sports fans are currently in their element along with those of us taking mid-year vacations and discovering numerous local winter wonderlands. A number of our clients however have experienced extreme flooding this winter and our thoughts go out to them and the scores of wonderful people who are supporting them. Hopefully the Northern Hemisphere folk are enjoying warm days and more freedom thanks to Covid-19 vaccinations.
The devil is in the detail, so don’t hesitate to contact us.
Disclaimer: Mary Noonan is Heartland Immigration Ltd Managing Director, her views expressed in this article are not intended to replace the professional service provided to individual migrants by a Licensed or Registered Immigration Adviser or Migration Agent.
Hiring the right employee is an investment, and with a bit of thought a retention plan can make a real difference to your bottom line. Taking some simple, common sense steps to help your employee settle in will benefit both your business and your employee.
As any good employer knows, ensuring pay and conditions are equitable and in line with those of other employees is part of the foundation for a positive employment relationship.
MANAGE EXPECTATIONS WELL
From the first contact with your new employee to the time they arrive in New Zealand be positive but be realistic. Don’t promise anything that you – or New Zealand – cannot deliver.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY
If you can provide the migrant and their family with information and insight into the basics like introductions to schools and even employment opportunities for their partner, this will help. A happy, well settled family equals a happy, well settled, productive employee who is more likely to remain loyal.
ACCESS TO SUPPORT NETWORKS
Making support networks available for the migrant and their family prior to their arrival in New Zealand can be invaluable. This will help the migrant to plan their new life as well as creating a support network that operates prior to arrival, when they land and for the crucial few months post-arrival. Settlement Support NZ can assist with this.
SIMPLE STEPS
Think about practical steps you can take to help your employee get established. Can you provide flexible working hours at the start to give them time to set up their household?
VALUE THE DIFFERENCE
Migrants bring with them different ways of thinking and doing. They may have ideas and networks that could benefit your business. Not only could this improve work practices but your new employee could also open up new market opportunities.
Other Services:
Finding Migrants – Employers
If you’re new to recruiting staff from overseas, here are some pointers to help you through
Visa Options For Employers
Work visa applications are very complex, require careful handling and must meet a high threshold of
What We Do For Employers
At Heartland Immigration we understand how difficult it can be to find and retain good employees.
Visa Options For Individuals
There are many different types of visas and choosing the right one can be confusing. Here,
What We Do For Individuals
Heartland Immigration tailors our services to meet your needs, whatever they may be. Our friendly professionals
If you’re new to recruiting staff from overseas, here are some pointers to help you through the recruitment process.
- Check that your job vacancy will meet the requirements of one of the visa categories, and find out what you need to do to support a migrant’s visa application.
- When planning offshore recruitment, consider which country or countries you are likely to find suitable candidates in. Some countries have rules and regulations that you may need to take into account when recruiting, for example China.
- Can you increase your reach by being creative about getting the message out there? For example with or via other employers, your industry association or a recruiter?
Set realistic timeframes:
- Allow time to undertake your usual employment processes such as advertising, evaluating CVs, interviewing, and checking references.
- Allow time for the migrant to prepare to migrate, eg. sell their home, gather documents for their visa application (such as medical and police certificates), and to obtain occupational registration if necessary.
- Allow time for the visa application to be processed.
Describing the job
- Write a clear, realistic and specific job description that candidates you wish to target will understand.
- Include key details such as the nature of the role, leave provisions, salary and a job title that they will understand. Migrants will be interested in a relocation package.
Making an offer
Once you find the right person, you can make them a job offer. The offer should include conditions that indicate the job is subject to the applicant gaining an appropriate work or resident visa.
Your new employee cannot start working for you until they have the appropriate visa and the job offer must be current when the person applies for their visa.
Work visa applications are very complex, require careful handling and must meet a high threshold of proof that there are no New Zealand residents or citizens available to fill the positions.
In most cases, the candidate will need a job offer before applying for a work visa , though some migrants already hold an ‘open’ work visa or working holiday visa to work for any employer.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS WORK VISAS
The Essential Skills in Demand Lists are Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ’s) three occupational skill shortage lists. If you offer a job to someone in an occupation on one of the lists and the candidate has qualifications and experience as specified on the list, it is normally easier to obtain an Essential Skills work visa. You can check whether or not an occupation is on one of the skills shortage lists here.
If you have a temporary or short term vacancy in an occupation not listed on the Essential Skills in Demand Lists you may still be able to recruit a worker from overseas. You’ll need to show you have made genuine attempts to recruit New Zealand residents or citizens.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS – APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE
You could apply to Immigration New Zealand for Approval in Principle to recruit workers from overseas. If your application is approved, you’ll have assurance that you can recruit appropriately qualified and experienced people from overseas.
SPECIFIC PURPOSE OR EVENT – WORK VISA
If you need to employ someone temporarily for a specific purpose or event, they can apply for a work visa. The people who qualify for this visa have skills and expertise that will benefit New Zealand, such as specialist machinery installers, sports referees, or people involved in film production.
ARE YOU AN EMPLOYER IN THE HORTICULTURE OR VITICULTURE INDUSTRIES? DO YOU NEED TO EMPLOY SEASONAL WORKERS?
If you need seasonal workers to plant, maintain, harvest and pack crops in the horticulture and viticulture industries, you might like to consider becoming a Recognised Seasonal Employer.
DO YOU WISH TO ENGAGE FOREIGN FISHING CREW?
To engage foreign fishing crew you must request an approval in principle from Immigration New Zealand.
HOW ABOUT PEOPLE WITH ‘OPEN’ WORK VISAS TO WORK FOR ANY EMPLOYER?
Working Holiday Schemes
You can temporarily employ young people from overseas who are travelling around New Zealand on Working Holiday visas. They can work for any employer.
International Students
Many international students studying full-time in New Zealand are able to work for any employer for up to 20 hours per week in term time.
Silver Fern Visas
There are two types of Silver Fern Visa. The Silver Fern Job Search visa is a nine month open work visa, designed to bring skilled young people to New Zealand. Once these candidates have obtained skilled employment, they can apply for the two year Silver Fern Practical Experience visa. After that, it is likely they will be eligible to apply for a Skilled Migrant Category resident visa.
Work Visas for People Joining their Partner in New Zealand
If your prospective employee is the partner of a New Zealand citizen or resident, or the partner of a work visa holder, they could have an open work visa and be able to work for any employer.
To find out more on visa options for employing migrants please visit Immigration New Zealand
At Heartland Immigration we understand how difficult it can be to find and retain good employees. We appreciate the challenges that employers face in managing the ever-increasing perplexities of the immigration process and global movement.
With our immigration expertise and industry and labour market knowledge, we achieve a win-win outcome for the employer and the migrant worker by offering a full range of services.
Plan
We assist you in building your immigration strategy around your recruitment needs in line with immigration rules and global competitiveness.
Employer Accreditation application
We help you obtain and retain New Zealand employer accreditation, necessary to employ and support migrants to obtain New Zealand residence, work visas or vary the conditions of an existing visa.
Job Check
We assist employers in gaining the specific approval, in the form of job vouchers, required to recruit or retain migrant staff for individual roles within your New Zealand business. By helping you with the necessary employment documentation, including HR practices along with the advertising and selection process.
Labour Agreement
We help you gain approval to recruit roles for migrant workers to fill in Australia.
Sponsorships
We help Australian employers obtain Accredited sponsor, Standard business sponsor or Temporary Activity sponsor status thus allowing them to employ migration workers and to support migrant workers gain Australian visas.
Process visa applications for employees
We assist your employees to gain the necessary work visas, vary the conditions of existing visas and obtain residence. A complete and personalized service for those employees that you just don’t want to lose.
