Jobs for Kiwis promise not being met

Allowing a company to bring in 110 ‘façade installers’ to do jobs New Zealanders could easily do or be trained to do demonstrates once again the government has its priorities wrong when it comes to jobs for Kiwis, says Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Darien Fenton.

“Immigration NZ has just given approval in principle to a company called King Façade to hire 110 Chinese workers to do a job that has been described as requiring a pretty basic skill level.

“At the same time it accepted flimsy evidence that there are no New Zealanders available to do the work or be trained to do it.

“The company appears to have over-inflated the prerequisites for the job, has produced only limited evidence of advertising for Kiwi workers - other than online on Trade Me and Seek - and seems to have made no effort to train or upskill locals available for work.

“The evidence I have seen indicates that the company is seeking to engage overseas workers in temporary and insecure employment at the expense of offering decent job opportunities to New Zealand resident, and Immigration NZ has meekly gone along with it.

“That hardly sounds like a Government committed to ensuring Kiwis are at the front of the queue when it comes to job opportunities and training.

“New Zealanders have been promised more work with the Christchurch rebuild. And they want to work – that’s evidenced by the 1200 applicants who applied for 200 positions at a new supermarket in the city.

“The Government must ensure it has its priorities right when it comes to considering applications for engaging overseas workers,” said Darien Fenton.