Working Holiday Visa changes a boon for tourism industry
Tourism employers around Aotearoa New Zealand are celebrating the announcement that steps are being taken to support tourism workforce recovery
Immigration Minister, Michael Wood has announced that: the visas of working holidaymakers already in New Zealand with visas expiring between August 26, 2022, and May 31, 2023, will be extended by six months and new visas will be issued to existing Working Holiday Visa holders who have yet to arrive, allowing them to enter New Zealand by January 31, 2023.
The number of visas permitted under capped Working Holiday Schemes will be doubled – a one-off increase to recognise the spots that were unused last year due to the border closure. This will give the ability for up to an extra 12,000 working holidaymakers to be able to enter and work in New Zealand.
Minister Wood also confirmed the sector agreement for seasonal snow and adventure tourism, which gives access to migrant workers in important seasonal snow and adventure tourism roles at $25.00 per hour. The wage threshold will be increased each year until the sector agreement ends in 2025.
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Praising the news, Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) Chief Executive Rebecca Ingram said: “This is very positive news for the tourism industry, we need great people joining tourism so we can gear up for the summer season.
“We are hopeful this will help to relieve some of the immediate pressures on employers. And there are added benefits – while not all Working Holiday Visa holders will work in tourism and hospitality, they will all want to enjoy tourism activities and experiences while they are in New Zealand.”
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A recent survey by TIA found that 75 percent of tourism businesses are currently recruiting across more than 30 different role types – everything from bike mechanics to marketing and sales roles, operations managers, and sea kayak guides. But 59 percent of vacancies were receiving less than five applications.
While most tourism employers would prefer to hire New Zealanders, half of the survey respondents expected they would need WHV holders to fill some roles this summer.
“TIA has been working closely with the Backpacker, Youth and Adventure Tourism Association (BYATA) to highlight to the Government the challenges facing tourism businesses. We are grateful that Ministers have listened to us and put in place measures to support the recovery of the tourism industry workforce this summer,” Ms Ingram says.
There will still be plenty of opportunities for New Zealanders interested in working in tourism, she says. Tourism has fantastic career opportunities in every part of the country and an enormous variety of roles are available for those interested in joining the industry at this defining time.
Hospitality New Zealand also welcomed the move.
Chief Executive Julie White says even though the doubling of numbers under the Working Holiday Scheme and the extension of visas are temporary, they will make a big difference to hospitality businesses struggling without enough staff.
“Labour shortages are our biggest problem right now.
“Having access to more staff will definitely help businesses open their doors for more days and for longer each day, and it will help improve the well-being of many owners and operators and their staff who have been working long shifts.
“The changes will kick in in time for the upcoming summer season, which many businesses will be relying on most heavily after a winter where lack of staff meant they were turning away customers.
“Giving more certainty to workers already here is essential, while the doubling of the Working Holiday Scheme will help, it is no silver bullet, as the reality is, we have a global war on talent.
“We have to make sure we are an attractive place to come to and we are open to welcome these visa holders.
“But it is important we have the right policy settings in place to support the hospitality and tourism sectors’ recovery from the effects of the pandemic.
“Hospitality NZ will continue to work with the Minister of Immigration and his team to ensure they know what policy and regulations are required to keep the industry running efficiently.
“This will require continuously reviewing the settings and planning ahead.”
Meanwhile, the tourism industry is also reviewing the Better Work Action Plan released for consultation last week. The Plan has the long-term objective of building a more sustainable workforce model for the tourism industry and individuals who choose to build their career in tourism.
Mandy has over 17 years of accommodation and tourism industry writing experience and is Editor of AccomNews & Resort News, Publisher of SchoolNews & Director of Multimedia Pty Ltd. She is a retired registered nurse with a 25-year NHS career that followed a few unforgettable years in hotel housekeeping.
