CCNZ submission - changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa

Connecting New Zealand

CCNZ submission - changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa

14 Oct 2024

Civil Contractors New Zealand made a submission on Immigration New Zealand's proposed changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (phase one and two).

In the submission, CCNZ:

Requests the roles removed from the Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement in April 2024 be restored with urgency.
Requests the skill level of experienced migrants entering New Zealand to work in the civil construction industry be properly recognised.
Requests the ‘maximum continuous stay’ reduced in the announcement on 7 April 2024 be restored to 5 years from 3 years.
Supports a tiered accreditation system that rewards good employer behaviour.
Opposes the proposal to automatically assign all triangular employers to the lowest tier.
Recommends that, rather than use the term “Tier” to define behaviour and compliance, the term “level” or something similar is used as the term “tier” has a different meaning in the civil construction sector.
Supports the highest level companies being subject to no external checks and requirements.
Supports the second highest level companies being subject to no external checks and requirements, subject to suitable third party verification.
Opposes minimum threshold requirements for a proportion of domestic workers. If it has been proven there are no available local employees to fill the roles through a job check, why is a certain percentage of local workers proposed?
Opposes job check requirements being imposed on proven good employers.
Opposes the use of wage thresholds.
Opposes MSD having any right of veto for employers who have demonstrably met the criteria to be classified as highest and second highest levels.
Supports increasing the maximum AEWV duration to at least 3 years (instead of 2 + 1) for levels 4 and 5 roles.
Opposes removing the ability for employers to support family members for an AEWV.
Supports the removal of regional settings.
Opposes employers being responsible for arrangements between migrants and agents.
Supports flexibility for visa holders whose employment has ended prematurely.
Urges Immigration NZ to use the compliance levers that already exist before trying to introduce new levers.
Calls for efforts to reduce complexity and improve processing times.