Despite having a visa which grants them the right to legally work in New Zealand, some migrants who hold the new Accredited Employer Work Visa - AEWV - say some of the conditions have made it impossible for them to find a job.

Being hired by an accredited employer and receiving at least the median wage - which currently is $29.66 - are two factors not all companies can afford, say the visa holders.

“I am a ‘Partner of a Worker Work Visa’ and the conditions of the visa are keeping me at home,” says Alfredo, one of the visa holders.

“The main applicant in our home is my wife who fortunately was hired, thanks to her background as a registered nurse in our country. Although my visa is open, the conditions are the same as hers and this has worked against me because not all companies want to pay that money.”

There are a lot of good companies around Tauranga but Alfred says none of them meet the requirements of Immigration New Zealand.

“I have had more than 50 job interviews during the last two months and all of them ended when I showed my visa and its conditions. Some of the companies have no idea how much the median wage is, and do not understand why that is the required amount to pay.”

Immigration New Zealand Director Visa Sarah Clifford says the new Accredited Employer Work Visa was introduced in July 2022 and supports employers to get the workers they need without disadvantaging New Zealanders. It also ensures migrant workers are given the same employment protection as New Zealanders.

“The median wage threshold for the AEWV and Partner of a Worker Visa was introduced by the previous Government to help reduce New Zealand’s overall reliance on migrant labour and improve the balance of migrant labour towards higher skilled, higher paid roles,” says Sarah.

“Before the median wage threshold was introduced, around three-quarters of relevant work visa holders were already being paid above the median wage."

Anita is another migrant who is facing the new changes on the Partner of a Worker Work Visa, and like Alfredo watches the days passing by while waiting for a change in the conditions.

“Lots of rumours are circulating about these conditions and honestly I just hope the government re-think them to make the life of some migrants a bit easier,” says Anita.

“I do not have many qualifications but I am a hard worker, responsible and I am keen to work in anything.”

The names of the visa holders were changed for security reasons.