Hospitality New Zealand (Hospitality NZ) is welcoming this morning’s announcement by Minister of Immigration, Hon Erica Stanford, that two new residence pathways will be created.
Interim Chief Executive, Nick Keene, says: “We are pleased to see the creation of the Skilled Work Experience pathway that recognises the value of work experience and the nature of on- the-job training, which is especially prominent within the hospitality sector.
“The current set up of the Skilled Migrant Category realistically excludes most hospitality roles, and we’ve long said that the lack of residency pathways for hospitality is a frustration for the sector. Today’s announcement goes some way to providing options for our skilled migrant workforce to stay in New Zealand.
“We note that some occupations will have additional requirements or restrictions, but we look forward to working with the Minister and officials to ensure the hospitality sector can use this residence pathway in conjunction with our efforts to build our domestic pipeline of talent.”