Working with Immigration New Zealand last year, the RCNZ was granted an AIP on behalf of its members, which means they can bring in overseas workers under its umbrella, to fill vacancies which were unable to be filled by experienced local people.
The RCNZ was the first association in the country to have a blanket Application in Principle approved.
An Application in Principle allows employers to bring in overseas staff who have worked in the country before, through a simpler and more streamlined process, providing the business meets certain standards and criteria.
Contractors do not have to advertise or work with Work and Income, or go through other processes to fill vacancies.
RCNZ chief executive Roger Parton said although he did not know exactly the number of workers brought into the country last year, the numbers applied for through the AIP were for 158 nationally, with 59 of those in Otago and Southland.
He said 33 contractors registered last year and more had done so since.
The contractors must meet criteria including being a current financial member of RCNZ and they must hold current Registered Contractor accreditation, which is an audit process to show that the company is meeting its statutory and regulatory obligations.
‘‘They must also enter into a written contract with the association, which details the process and places some obligations such as using the Individual Employment Agreement provided by RCNZ, and must notify RCNZ if a worker moves and other similar tasks,’’ Mr Parton said.
RCNZ board member and rural contractor Brian Hughes, of Hughes Contracting, near Invercargill, has been employing overseas workers for several years, with about 10 experienced workers brought in under the AIP last season.
He was pleased with how well the blanket AIP worked, particularly as several from England and Scotland who had worked for him the previous year, had returned.
They were familiar with the New Zealand culture and his operations and ‘‘hit the ground running’’.
He said many overseas workers were able to alternate between jobs in the northern hemisphere and New Zealand during the year.
Although contractors would hire New Zealanders if possible, sourcing overseas workers was an ‘‘ideal solution’’ to the problem of a shortage of experienced staff during the busy seasons.