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LABOUR MARKET TEST
To be effective in this age of globalisation your business needs expertise to ensure your employees get the right visa as quickly as possible. We offer a full range of services focusing on businesses that need to bring executives, managers, specialists, key personnel and their accompanying family members to New Zealand.
LABOUR MARKET TEST
Generally, New Zealand employers are required to give local New Zealanders a fair go before offering the job to any foreign workers. Many work visa types currently require the employers to conduct a fair Labour Market Test whereby the employer might consider supporting a work visa application only if they have made genuine attempts to recruit New Zealanders but these attempts are unsuccessful.
In the next 18 months and in line with the upcoming changes, the Government plans to introduce regional skills shortage lists whereby jobs are classified depending on whether they are a higher-paid or lower-paid position or whether they are in regional or city areas. List of cities potentially include Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Dunedin.
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Higher-paid jobs
(in regional areas)
Formal Labour Market Test will not be required for employers in rural regions (outside of the major cities) wanting to recruit for jobs that pay above the New Zealand median wage, which is currently $25 an hour. This means that employers recruiting for higher-paid jobs in the regions will have open access to recruit foreign workers.
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Lower-paid jobs
(in regional areas)
Unlike the above higher-paid jobs, all lower-paid jobs in regional areas will be required to pass the Labour Market Test, which includes a requirement for the employer to advertise the job with comparative market rates and to check with the Ministry of Social Development whether they have any clients who are considered suitable, available and trainable that can be matched to the job.
- Higher-paid and lower paid jobs (in city areas)
In city areas, streamlined Labour Market Test will be strictly required in this case. A visa from 12 months up to 3 years (and/or stand down period) will be granted depending on the skill level of the position.