An official briefing that states a new policy hasn't helped unemployed New Zealanders into jobs is wrong, Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse says. Employers wanting to support an immigrant's work visa in order to fill low-skilled roles must now engage with Work and Income to advertise the jobs locally first. Since November 2015, Immigration NZ has approved 97% of visa applications for such positions, with only 577 visa applications declined. But Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said the Mbie briefing was wrong. The change was designed to help streamline the hiring process and reduce frustration for employers, Mr Woodhouse said.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 07, 2017 04:10 UTC