INZ announced on the 11th of May that the border will re-open at the end of July 2022. A few additional changes were announced, including a healthy dose of positive news for Dairy Farmers.
Work to Residence Pathway for Dairy Farmers
Farm Managers, Assistant Farm Managers and Herd Managers will have a two-year pathway to residence through a Green List, which will replace the current shortage lists. To be eligible, you will need to have three years of experience working on a commercial farm in a relevant role (not such as farm assistant and upwards) and you will need to work on the new accredited employer work visa (AEWV) for two years.
INZ are yet to announce all the details, but we will update you when they do!
Partners of Workers on the Green List to Keep their Work Rights
From December 2022, partners of some temporary visa holders will be issued visitor visa rights instead of open working rights. If a partner wants to apply for working rights, they will need to apply for their own accredited employer work visa. This visa will allow for less than 30 hours of work per week, and it will be tied to an accredited employer.
The good news however is that those who qualify and work in roles on the Green list (Farm Manager, Assistant Farm Manager and Herd Manager) or who earn twice the median wage (soon to be $27.76 per hour) will still be able to support partners onto open work visas.
If you don’t qualify for a role on the Green list and you don’t earn twice the median wage, our advice is to apply for an open work visa for your partner before December 2022.
Please contact us for advice on your specific situation.
Marie Hunt
Licensed Immigration Adviser