Fenton Darien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Fenton Darien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 15 August 2012. Volume:682;Page:4387. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
11. 
DARIEN FENTON (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: Does he have confidence in Immigration New Zealand’s labour market testing? 
Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 Yes. 
Darien Fenton 
: Why has Immigration New Zealand allowed an increasing number of overseas workers into New Zealand over the past 3 years despite 57000 more New Zealand residents being unemployed and available to fill jobs than in 2008? 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: The member should be aware that the approval in principle process is showing that from 2007-08 to 2011-12 it has declined by well over 50 percent and also the number of temporary work visas has declined by 44 percent from 2007-08 to 2011-12 which shows to me that the process is indeed working in a tight labour market. 
Darien Fenton 
: I seek leave to table a graph from the library that shows the number of people unemployed and shows that there are 57000 fewer jobs since National became the Government. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document from the Parliamentary Library. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Darien Fenton 
: Is he aware that in 2007-08 when those overseas workers were brought into New Zealand the unemployment rate was just 3.5 percent whereas now it is 6.8 percent and 57000 more New Zealanders are out of work than when he took office; if so why is he bringing in overseas workers to fill jobs that 162000 New Zealanders desperately need? 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: Yes I am aware of those figures. It is interesting to note the member’s blog entry on Red Alert. I do not happen to read Red Alert but one of my staff found this on 27 July. I just want to quote what the member said: “we will need migrants to work in New Zealand—especially in areas of skills shortages …”. I agree with the member. 
Darien Fenton 
: In that case what made the jobs at 289 hospitality businesses that brought in overseas workers—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The Minister must be able to hear the question too. The member has not got the biggest voice in the House. 
Darien Fenton 
: Thank you Mr Speaker. What made the jobs at the 289 hospitality businesses that brought in overseas workers last year so highly skilled and specialist that Immigration New Zealand could not find New Zealand workers able and willing to do them? 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: As I have explained to the member before employers need to demonstrate genuine attempts to recruit New Zealanders first and then there is a process. I can go through that process for the member once again. That process is simply that once employers have tried to establish whether there are New Zealand workers they then consult with Work and Income to see whether there are New Zealanders available. Then they also need to consult with the unions the guilds and importantly the industry training organisations. Specifically to the member’s question on hospitality the member should be aware that there are parts of New Zealand where they need to attract migrant workers. In some isolated parts of New Zealand in the hospitality sector it is difficult to specifically attract the likes of chefs. 
Darien Fenton 
: Has he or the previous Minister of Immigration given any direction to Immigration New Zealand that it should tighten its labour market testing criteria given the 162000 Kiwis who are out of work; if not why not? 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: I am very happy with the process that Immigration New Zealand follows.