mmigration New Zealand insists it will still grant temporary work permits where employers can prove there are skill shortages – despite industry claims to the contrary.

In 2009 the branch of the Department of Labour completed three reviews of the job categories for which workers are routinely granted temporary work permits, leading to the first substantial shortening of the skills shortage list since 2000.

Lesley Haines, the acting head of Immigration New Zealand, said the move was in response to a significant weakening in the labour market, leading to a 5 per cent fall in the number of temporary work permits being granted in 2009.

While a large number of job categories on the skills shortage list had been removed, Ms Haines said employers could still get work permits for foreign staff if they could prove they were unable to find a local alternative.

In recent weeks employers have came forward documenting efforts to demonstrate that New Zealanders cannot be found to fill roles done by existing foreign staff.

Despite that, their foreign employees face removal because Immigration New Zealand claims labour market tests have demonstrated there are local workers available.

Ms Haines said there "were probably one or two cases like that" but she was unable to comment without details.

Last month Electron Limited manager Peter Alevizos said Work and Income had told him it was no longer seeking to fill his vacancy for a fitter turner with experience in electric motors because there was none available in the region.

Despite that, his current "model" employee, Fijian national David Samuel, had been told he must leave the country, Mr Alevizos said.

A spokeswoman for Immigration New Zealand said the matter was "a timing issue" because Mr Samuel had since been told that he could reapply.

The Labour Party's labour spokesman, Trevor Mallard, said there appeared to have been a change in administrative approach to the issuing of temporary work permits.

"I don't think anyone can argue that you shouldn't look more carefully at work permits when the jobs are really tight for New Zealanders, but it's almost like what's going on are just very cursory examinations, looking at big occupational groups rather than specifically at the job requirements.

He said the approach appeared "out of time" with economic conditions, making it more difficult to get a work permit when the labour market was already strengthening.

(Source The Press)