12. Question No. 12—ImmigrationDr JAMES McDOWALL (ACT) to the Minister of ImmigrationQuestion No. 12—Immigration12. Dr JAMES McDOWALL (ACT) to the Minister of Immigration: Has he seen BusinessNZ's 2022 survey that found that 87 percent of respondents said that it was either difficult" or "very difficult" to fill job vacancies and 63 percent attributed their difficulties to immigration restrictions and is he confident that the Government's immigration work visa policies are fit for purpose?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Immigration): Yes I have seen reports from that particular survey and some of the results are not entirely surprising given that questions asked employers to reflect back on the conditions over the past one year. So obviously over a large part of that period New Zealand's borders have been closed to protect the country from COVID-19. Over much of that period of course we have also experienced record low unemployment. None the less our border was fully open from 31 July and we're getting on with the job of making sure that our immigration sector does support the need for skills across the New Zealand labour force. Since the accredited employer work visa (AEWV) system opened around that time we've accredited over 12000 employers processed over 55000 job checks and approved nearly 5000 visa applications. Under the residents visa 2021 programme we have now provided residency to over 100000 migrant workers including 11000 construction workers and 3700 health workers. We've also approved 30000 working holiday visas. We know that global labour shortages have created a challenging climate for international hiring but I'm confident that the work that the Government is doing to rebalance our immigration system is helping to address skill shortages while also clamping down on migrant exploitation and making sure that workers do have fair wages and conditions.Dr James McDowall: How does his answer to my primary question alleviate employers' fears over chronic workforce shortages given that top CEOs and directors responding to BusinessNZ's 2022 survey ranked the Government's immigration policy as one of their top concerns?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: What we can do in respect of this is talk to the facts some of which I outlined in my answer to the primary question which is that the Government has now through the job check stage of the accredited employer work visa given employers' permission—this is since July—to recruit more than 55000 migrant workers. That actually is an indication of a system which is highly facilitative. Our system under the accredited employer work visa effectively requires two big things for employers to be able to recruit. One is that they are accredited employers which means that there is not a record of migrant labour exploitation or abuses of workers' rights and I'm sure that is something that all members of the House would support; and secondly that there is a two-week period of advertising for a job in New Zealand to ensure that there is a New Zealander not available to do the work. Subject to those conditions and subject to paying the median wage those employers in large numbers are being given the ability to recruit internationally.Dr James McDowall: How are the accredited employer work visa and the working holiday schemes fit for purpose with Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult stating that "The number of people on work visas dropped from 3000 to about 1000." in an article that also stated that immigration policy is "frustrating efforts to get overseas workers"?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Without reference to the time period that Mayor Boult was speaking about in that respect I can confirm that there have been 30000 approvals provided by Immigration New Zealand for working holiday visas. In fact recently I made announcements which doubled the number of working holiday visa places for countries with capped schemes which received a very strong and positive response from the tourism and hospitality sectors.Dr James McDowall: What does he say to a business owner with four restaurants in Auckland who can only operate one at a time and at reduced hours because like many others he can't get enough chefs in under the accredited employer work visa scheme unless he is granted an exception to policy on a case by case basis?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The member's question is not entirely clear. Employers through the accredited employer work visa scheme are able to recruit people into those roles without a particular exception so there may be a particular situation with that employer that the member is aware of that I am not. But I can confirm that in that category employers are able to recruit through the accredited work visa scheme. But what this Government does say is that through the AEWV we are turning away from the era in which our immigration system was simply used as a mechanism to bring in as much low-wage labour as possible into the country. We do put in place a median wage requirement and I'm confident that increasingly employers are making those investments to make sure that we support our workforces.Dr Shane Reti: Of the 3700 health workers he just described how many were registered nurses or midwives?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: That is a question which I would be happy to answer if the member was willing to either put in a primary or send that information to me I will be able to get that for him. But a relatively large number of nurses have now been approved under the accredited employer work visa scheme. The last time I checked 301 registered nurses had been approved and the month of August in fact saw the highest number of nurses given approval to enter New Zealand across both the critical purpose visa and the accredited employer work visa schemes of any month this year which shows that we are making significant progress in this area.Dr James McDowall: Why should businesses have confidence in the Minister of Immigration given comments such as those by Simon Watson New Zealand Hot House managing director who stated in the media: "We need to free up the immigration pathways. Wellington seem to not be listening not understanding and clearly don't care anymore."?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Well in amongst legitimate public discourse about the immigration system it would be useful from Opposition politicians for them to be a little bit more specific about what they actually mean by freeing up the system. Because as I have just outlined the Government has in respect of working holiday visas doubled—increased by 12000—the numbers of working holiday visa workers being able to come into New Zealand. The accredited employer work visa scheme is a simple and facilitative scheme which has given permission to recruit 55000 workers since about July. What we know is that the other side of the House through their policy wants us to take away any requirements to pay those workers a decent rate for their wages. And that is something that we do not agree with on this side of the House."