Immigration New Zealand has several skills shortage lists designed to help New Zealand meet its skills needs by facilitating the entry of appropriately skilled migrants to fill skill shortages, INZ operational policy manager Chris Hubscher says.
''However, this objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified New Zealand citizens or resident workers available to undertake the work, and that the shortage is genuine,'' Mr Hubscher said.
The Essential Skills in Demand (ESID) lists - which are not designed for seasonal work - include the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) and the Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL).
The LTSSL was a list of all long-term, high-level skills shortages in the New Zealand labour market, while the ISSL was a list of immediate short-term skills shortages in the New Zealand labour market and includes some skilled agricultural occupations such as ''mixed crop farmer'' and ''dairy or beef cattle farmer'' (farm manager or herd manager).
''The ISSL and LTSSL are reviewed annually by the ministry and the 2013 review began on April 19,'' Mr Hubscher said.
''Since 2002 there have been a large number of submissions for occupations to be added to or removed from the ISSL and LTSSL or changes to be made to occupations currently on the lists.
''The removal and addition of occupations is the result of extensive consultation with industry groups, other stakeholders and relevant government agencies, alongside analysis of economic, labour market and immigration data,'' Mr Hubscher said.
The Ministry recommended occupations be removed from the list (or not added to a list) in two main situations: where visa approvals were low and other immigration mechanisms might be more appropriate to meet the shortages experienced by industry; and where an occupation had been on a list for a long time and industry had had considerable time to train or upskill New Zealanders into these roles.
''Employers wanting to bring in migrant workers for occupations not listed on the ISSL or LTSSL may do so, provided they have genuinely searched for suitably qualified and trained New Zealander workers.''
- Yvonne O'Hara