Government urged to enhance immigration policies to address workforce gaps
Employers across New Zealand are facing skills shortages, as they call on the government to embrace international talent by changing immigration policies, according to a new report.
Findings from recruitment firm Working In revealed that 87% of employers are struggling to fill roles locally, with the most in-demand skills being:
- Technicians and tradespeople (46.3%)
- Machinery operators and drivers (26.8%)
- Managers and professionals (23.6%)
"The numbers paint a stark picture – New Zealand businesses simply cannot find the skills they need locally," said Scott Mathieson, Co-Founder of Working In, in a statement.
"These are the workers building our homes, maintaining our infrastructure, and keeping our supply chains moving. Without access to international talent, New Zealand's infrastructure and housing ambitions are simply undeliverable."
Plans to hire migrant workers
To fill their gaps, 74.8% of employers said they plan to recruit migrant workers over the next three years, as 68% said these workers are critical to their operations.
According to the report, 79.7% of employers gain positive impacts from migrant workers. They include:
- Improvements exceeding 20% in productivity or revenue (40.7%)
- Strong work ethic and motivation (58.5%)
- Willingness to work flexible hours (44.7%)
Visa, compliance challenges
Plans to hire, however, are held back by administrative barriers such as visa and compliance requirements, according to the report.
"Employers are crying out for streamlined systems – 83% tell us this would be their most valuable support," Mathieson noted. "The current system is actively working against New Zealand's economic interests while businesses struggle to access the talent they desperately need."
The majority of employers (82.9%) said they want the government to streamline visa processes, as well as to prioritise skills shortages in immigration policy (91.1%).
"New Zealand faces a choice: embrace the international talent that demonstrably drives economic success, or watch our competitors pull ahead while we're constrained by systems that don't match business reality," Mathieson said.
In June, the government announced 10 new trades occupations would be added to the Green List's Work to Residence pathway from August 2025, in a bid to address talent shortages in the country's manufacturing industry.
“This requires a migrant to have two years of work experience in the relevant occupation in New Zealand and be working for an Accredited Employer when they apply for residence,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said in a statement at the time.
And iIn August it announced two new visa pathways to support employers looking for seasonal workers during peak periods – the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa (GWSV) and the Peak Seasonal Visa (PSV).
