Key Takeaways:
- Migrants who were told their job was skilled and were on a path to residency are being warned that this may no longer be the case due to changes in immigration classification systems.
- The use of two classification systems, the National Occupation List (NOL) and the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO), is causing difficulties and discrepancies in recognizing skilled occupations.
- Migrants, including professionals such as office, shop, and restaurant managers, and swim school instructors, are being shown the exit door due to changes in visa rules.
- The government is introducing changes to the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) visa, but the industry is in the dark about what these changes will look like.
- The constant tinkering with policy settings is leading to disappointment and awkward endings for migrants, with many finding they do not meet residence requirements and cannot stay longer.
Introduction to the Issue
The New Zealand government’s use of two classification systems to decide whether jobs should be classed as skilled is causing confusion and disappointment for migrants who were told their job was skilled and were on a path to residency. Aaron Pasion, a swim school instructor, is one such example. He was told his job was skilled and was due to extend his visa, but found out that he would instead have to leave the country. Pasion, his wife, and their five-year-old son will move to Australia by the end of the month, leaving behind a community that has rallied around them.
The Human Impact
The impact of these changes is not just limited to Pasion, but also to the community he has been a part of. Parents of the children he teaches have spoken out about the loss they will suffer with his departure. "He’s singing, he’s joking. Like you can hear him when you walk into the swimming facility. He’s larger than life, he’s amazing with the kids," said parent Nicole Pryor. Pryor believes that migrants like Pasion are a treasure and will be a loss to New Zealand. The upheaval of their families and children is a distressing thought, and it highlights the need for more consistency in visa rules.
The Classification Systems
The two classification systems, the National Occupation List (NOL) and the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO), are causing difficulties and discrepancies in recognizing skilled occupations. Immigration adviser Tobias Tohill believes that there is a storm brewing among people who got three-to-five year temporary visas when their roles were classed as skilled, only to find out later they no longer are, or cannot qualify them for skilled migrant residence (SMC) visas later. Tohill believes that the constant tinkering with policy settings is leading to disappointment and awkward endings for migrants.
Industry Perspectives
Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Kristy Phillips said that the two classifications were causing difficulties, but stopped short of describing the situation as a broken promise. Phillips believes that the National Occupation List integration is a significant change and that Immigration New Zealand is rolling it out gradually. However, this gradual rollout is causing discrepancies and disparities between the skill levels recognized on the National Occupations List versus the ANZSCO list. The wider issue for hospitality is retaining staff while increasing the domestic workforce, but changes to the skill level classification are also affecting people since November.
Government Response
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) said its system was primarily based on ANZSCO, and will be after SMC changes are introduced in August. INZ recognizes the complexities of using two classification systems throughout the transition period and is committed to providing clear, timely information to ensure migrants, employers, and immigration professionals have certainty and understand their visa options and respective visa requirements during this time. However, the industry is still in the dark about what the changes to the SMC visa will look like, and many migrants are left with uncertainty and disappointment.
Conclusion
The use of two classification systems to decide whether jobs should be classed as skilled is causing confusion and disappointment for migrants who were told their job was skilled and were on a path to residency. The constant tinkering with policy settings is leading to disappointment and awkward endings for migrants, with many finding they do not meet residence requirements and cannot stay longer. The government needs to provide more consistency in visa rules and consider the contribution a migrant makes to their community. The loss of skilled migrants like Pasion will be a loss to New Zealand, and it highlights the need for a more nuanced and compassionate approach to immigration policy.


