Silver Fern farms welcomes work visa changes

From Checkpoint, 5:24 pm on 17 September 2019

The meat industry in New Zealand says it is currently 2000 workers short, and is hoping the government's work visa changes will help fill those gaps with overseas workers.

The latest changes will mean in the regions the requirement to look for a local worker first will be ditched for some jobs.

Some workers in lower income positions will be able to bring their families with them.

And industry specific agreements will be negotiated with sectors highly reliant on migrant workers, including the meat industry.

Matt Ballard from Silver Fern Farms tells Lisa Owen the visa changes will make recruitment easier.