RNZ – 17th June, 2019
As employers grapple with visa delays, Immigration New Zealand is blaming its slow processing times on unforeseen demand.
Ninety percent of applications for an essential skills work visa are taking three months or longer to process – sparking concern from Education New Zealand as well as local business owners.
Restaurateur and entrepreneur Fleur Caulton of Go To Collection owns nine restaurants including the Madam Woo chain, and said her businesses’ need for immigrant workers was “just becoming greater and greater”.
But she said her company – and others in the hospitality industry – was getting sick of the delays.
Ms Caulton said the Madam Woo Takapuna branch hired a new manager in February, but were left in limbo until June due to visa delays.
It put both the employee and the restaurant in a very difficult position as the manager could not earn money while she waited – and having received her signed contract, the restaurant could not legally hire anyone else, she said. Read more…
