Machines | New Zealand needs more migrant workers
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New Zealand is short on local skilled agricultural workers and need migrant workers to make up the shortfall of Kiwi workers says outgoing Agricultural Contractor's Federation president John Hughes and Federated Farmers President Wills. Mr Hughes lays the blame at our educational system as it doesn't encourage young New Zealanders to learn the skills required for farm work. "We've got a situation in New Zealand where the rural industries aren't getting the young people, aren't getting people out of the education system that are coming into the rural sector and wanting to learn and wanting to pick up the skills that would put them into a global market really, that's the problem," he said. Amalgamated Worker's Union secretary Calvin Fisher said the Government is not incentivising New Zealanders to go work in rural areas. "It's about families not being incentivised to be in a rural area, for the threat of being disadvantaged for their benefits on a seasonal basis," he said. Mr Fisher also said employers preferred to hire people on working holiday visas for not only their skills but because they can pay them the minimum wage. "They know they can pick these guys up from Scotland Ireland and Europe who know the machinery they've been here before they've come off their season, they're going to get bang for their buck." "The rural industry has a reputation for paying minimum wage for long hours," he said. Mr Wills said farm workers' being paid minimum wage is not true. "The average farm worker today is earning five and a half thousand dollars more on average than our minimum wage so I think this perception of low pay needs to be questioned," he said. Mr Wills said only 86.5 per cent of the farming work force are New Zealand citizens so a 13.5 per cent gap is needed to be filled by migrants. He would like the Government to make it easier to attract more foreign labourers. "We can't run our industry now without significant numbers of immigrant workers so the industry is too important to be hijacked by lack of labour, if we can't get kiwis in these roles we got make it easy to attract and retain good quality immigrant labour," said Mr Wills.
Comments
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NZ is a great country for a holiday but crap to make a life !!! Poor wages , poor housing , earthquakes and backwards mentality !!!
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The government will never pay to train locals, they would rather fuck locals over and bring in foreign workers. Foreign workers are a fucking threat to NZ.
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Rural industries are paying shit money and want to use foreign labor to undercut local wages and the minimum wage.
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I'm from the Uk and I'm going to NZ on a working holiday visa in july 2017. I'm a skilled plasterer but I would love to work on a farm. I've worked on barn conversions and have a workshop on an old farm. I've always felt at home on farms. Sign me up!! I think you're having the same problem there as we are in the UK. Young people don't wanna do the dirty jobs. Some of us however bloody love it!! The calluses on my hands prove that.
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I'm a kiwi I don't mind asains and India Chinese all wellcome but my law would be can't buy nz homes land shops have to rent only after 5 years you have to leave for 5 years newzealand homes land and shops are for born kiwis only nz is only so big nz will be over run with more immigration then real kiwis it be a big rat race
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they want the migrant that kiss ass and desperate so they can treat them like a slave
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Everything is expensive in NZ, Cars are old Japanese cars, rent is high, food is expensive. Cold and wet weather, pay is shit. Brown people steal.Don't settle for less than $30 per hour.You won't make ends meet.Who wants to work on a farm and smell shit everyday.
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this is all bullshit here people exploit migrants and there aren't even enough jobs here
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Fuck the Muslim Revolution. Problem is those rotten rag heads..
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sir I need get a visa travels to NZ am moroccain and i have more experiences
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I hate our politically correct government. harden up and keep nz how is has been in history. ..Stop 3rd world immigrants coming here now
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fuck off. greedy business owners. ruining this country...
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that is true more young people these days don't even have drivers license.
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sir I going to newzland skilled work but I am not Speak English I am proud my hindi Lengves .
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Sir i have driving license.I know electrical woark and i well complitead HSSC. MY CONTACT NO 971507792499
my curant city UAE. -
I need a job in your company
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well thats really sad isnt it.
Considering NZs exceptionally high unemployment rate, youd think the agricultural industry would train up a few more of the local NZ employees, before reaching outside NZ.
They just want the cheap migrant workers.
Greed of NZ agricultural businesses is the only reason why they want migrant workers.
This is just a big load of twaddle, and double-speak, what is being said here.
Time to stop reaching for overseas employees, and start training up some Kiwi talent.
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New Zealand needs more migrant workers. No it doesn't!
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My x worked on farms she was getting her PR through it immigration told her to take the job. She was the least paid and did the most. Kiwis that worked there got paid heaps more than her. She hated it but was doing it to get PR the farmers are loving the Chinese imports because they work their ass of and they can pay them stuff all.
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Rubbish, the only shortage is of companies or people prepared to pay for experience if they can get cheap labour from overseas they will. Our people are going overseas why.. Money!!!