Photo: RNZThe Government is extending temporary work visas by six months, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway has announced. Under the short-term changes, temporary work visas due to expire by the end of 2020 will be extended by six months, and the 12-month stand down period for migrant workers who were going to have to leave this year will be shifted by six months to February 2021. It was introduced in 2017 and meant that lower-paid workers on temporary work visas had to leave New Zealand for 12 months after holding a work visa for three consecutive years before they could apply for another lower-skilled visa. "New low-skilled work visas will only be granted for six instead of 12 months as our priority is to preserve and prioritise future job opportunities for New Zealanders and give the system more flexibility to respond to labour market developments." Further work would continue on changes to defining lower-skilled/lower-paid employment and a new process for employer-assisted work visas, he said.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 07, 2020 03:33 UTC