Essentials Skills Policy - work Visa

The essential skills policy is aimed at attracting highly skilled workers and to protect the interest of New Zealand citizens and residents. The policy states that immigration officers must not issue a work visa where it is found that that there are New Zealand citizens or residents who can either take up the job offer or trained to do the work on offer. To determine the availability of workers among New Zealand citizens and residents, the immigration officers are obliged to seek advice from the Work and Income, a wing of the Ministry of Social Development. Under the policy, the immigration officers cannot approve applications for ANZSCO skill level 4 and 5 jobs(jobs that are not deemed skilled under the skilled migrant policy) unless advice is sought from Work and Income. This requirement to seek advice from another government body will lead to fewer grant of work visas and will delay the process. Where an occupation is included in the Long Term Skill Shortage List or immediate shortage list and if the applicant meets the specific requirement listed in the lists, then immigration will accept that no New Zealand citizens or residents are available