10. Question No. 10—ImmigrationERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays) to the Minister of ImmigrationQuestion No. 10—Immigration10. ERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays) to the Minister of Immigration: Does he stand by the former Minister's target of 10 working days for job checks for Accredited Employer Work Visas; if so can he confirm that only 20 percent have been processed in that time frame? Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) on behalf of the Minister of Immigration: In response to the first part of the question yes. I acknowledge there have been some initial issues raised by employers in the job-check process which are being identified and ironed out as a priority but on the whole the process is working as intended. To date 3807 job-check applications have been received and 1179 have been approved totalling 8868 positions. Job-check processing times are showing improvement increasing to 32 percent being completed within the expected time frame. I continue to regularly reinforce my expectations that processing times are met and that processing issues are identified and resolved as quickly as possible.Erica Stanford: If as he says the visa is working as intended can he confirm that as of Thursday last week only one accredited employer work visa had been approved around four weeks after applications opened according to a key messages update from Immigration New Zealand?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I have an update for the member but I do think the context here is really important. To date 3807 job-check applications have been received and 1179 have been approved meaning that 8868 positions are able to be recruited for now and that is quite some progress. The member will know of course that COVID has presented a challenge in the Immigration New Zealand workforce as well and also the further context—that the visa application stage has only been open for 24 days and with a 20-working-day processing time frame we are early days in the programme. They're working with employers to try and facilitate that process. Where applications are not meeting expectations they're working with employers and that takes extra time and we would expect to see numbers increase over the coming weeks. So four days past that initial deadline the number is up to seven and I'd expect to see that continue to grow.Erica Stanford: Well done! Is the reason so few employer accredited work visas have been submitted and approved because as of last week—Thursday—Immigration New Zealand had only processed 14 percent of the job-check applications that they'd received since 20 June which are required before a migrant can apply for a work visa?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: As I have said to the member the system is showing improvement. We are seeing each stage as it comes in new. These are new processes and I think it's absolutely right that Immigration New Zealand should be working with employers where the applications are not up to scratch. To work with the employers—this is a new process and it's completely understandable if they haven't got it right in some cases first time. That will have a long-term benefit for New Zealand and for those employers and I think we should be congratulating them on the work that they're doing.Erica Stanford: Is he seriously suggesting that employers are the reason that only seven employer accredited work visas have been approved in nearly four weeks?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I refer the member to my previous answers. I did not say it in that way and I think the member is seeking to misrepresent—Hon Andrew Little: Disingenuous. Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: —what I've been saying—unfortunate and disingenuous. I want to thank employers who are working hard in the system to make it work and I want to thank Immigration New Zealand for making this new system work for the benefit of all of us.Erica Stanford: What does he say to Sean Wood of Creative Kitchens in Tauranga who has turned down over $100000 of work yesterday because his job-check applications have not been processed seven weeks after he applied while three skilled employees sit in the UK waiting to apply for a visa to come to New Zealand and join his team?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Obviously—on behalf of the Minister—while I won't speak to individual applications I do understand that the issue raised by Mr Wood relates to the checking of individual employment contracts. It is good practice to carry out basic checks of employment contracts ensuring that the employment contracts pass the sniff test.