8. Work Visas—Settings and Labour Market TestRON MARK (Deputy Leader—NZ First) to the Minister of ImmigrationWork Visas—Settings and Labour Market Test8. RON MARK (Deputy Leader—NZ First) to the Minister of Immigration: Does he stand by his statement we've got immigration policy settings that make sure the right people come in and the wrong people don't … I think we've got the policy settings just about bang on"?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (Minister of Immigration): Yes.Ron Mark: If our policy settings are "just about bang on" why has his Government approved over 90000 work visas for unskilled foreign workers which is an increase of 71 percent since 2011?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: At the risk of playing a game of "my statistics are better than his statistics" the labour-market tested work visas that are of most importance to me are the ones described as essential skills work visas. In 2006-07 the last full year the Labour Government was supported by that member's party there were 14612 first essential skills visas granted. Last year there were 8329. The total number of visas granted that year under the essential skills policy in 2006-07 was 45213. Last year it was 33545. I think you will agree that that is a significant drop in the labour-market tested work visas.Ron Mark: If his Government is "working for all New Zealanders" why has his Government approved over 90000 work visas for unskilled migrants as opposed to helping over 90000 youth not employed or in education or in training who are unskilled?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I certainly reject the characterisation of those 90000 work visas as unskilled. I should also note that last year a significant number of those—69000 of them—were working holiday visas subject to bilateral agreements we have with other countries. The key to that is that they are both working and holiday visas. They do two very important things: they spend the money they earn and they provide a valuable source of labour in very high-demand areas like Queenstown and Wānaka. I think that that member should go down there and tell that community what he intends to do with working holiday visas and see what the reaction is. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! We will just have the supplementary question.Ron Mark: Thank you Mr Speaker—so tempted. If it is a priority of his Government to "make sure that Kiwis are being trained and getting the jobs that are available" then why has he turned his back on almost 140000 Kiwis who are unemployed in favour of 90000 unskilled migrants?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: I refer back to that labour-market test of work visa data which shows that the number of visas granted under this Government has dropped significantly. I would also say that no Government has done as much as this to make sure that Kiwis are at the front of the queue and in removing the barriers to work for many of those young people. We are continuing to work with employers to make sure that that is the case.Ron Mark: Could I seek the leave of the House to table—and I do not think they have been released yet—PQ00761 which gives all the statistics just in order to help the Minister understand his own immigration figures. Nothing has been published yet.Mr SPEAKER: I just want an assurance that they have recently been received and that they have not been published.Ron Mark: I do not believe they have been published yet.Mr SPEAKER: The member should have found that out. What is the date of the answers being received?Ron Mark: No I cannot give that. I am told they will not be published until tomorrow.Mr SPEAKER: On that basis then I will put the leave. Leave is sought to table those particular answers on the basis that they have not been published and that they will not be published until tomorrow. Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is none. They can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House."