New Zealand Tightens Visa Rules Amid Unsustainable Migration Levels

New Zealand Tightens Visa Rules: After a near-record migration last year, New Zealand announced on Sunday that it was making immediate changes to its employment visa program.

Most employer work visas will now have a minimum skill and experience threshold as well as an English language requirement for low-skilled jobs. As a result, most low-skilled roles will have a three-year maximum continuous stay limit instead of five years.

According to Immigration Minister Erica Stanford, the Government is focused on attracting and retaining highly skilled migrants, such as secondary teachers.

"At the same time we need to ensure that New Zealanders are put to the front of the line for jobs where there are no skills shortages," she said.

Baby steps:

“New Zealand tightens visa rules after migration hits ‘unsustainable’ levels

Net migration to New Zealand hit a near record high [of +173,000] in 2023 after a new temporary work visa was introduced after the pandemic

Immigration minister Erica Stanford announced on… https://t.co/AAJ9MD0YP5 pic.twitter.com/8KdvsatZ5g

— Prodigal (@ProdigalThe3rd) April 8, 2024

According to the statement, 173,000 people migrated to New Zealand last year, a near record number.

Since the end of the pandemic, New Zealand's migrant population has grown rapidly, causing inflation concerns last year.

Australia, which has also seen a spike in migrants, has announced it will halve its migrant intake in the next two years.

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