We continued to be a credible and trusted advisor to New Zealand’s decision-makers. We’re now visible more than ever, and we’ve built trusted and influential relationships with key clients, stakeholders, government and the media. Over the past year you’ve seen us at the table having constructive conversations and negotiating changes to immigration settings to help you recruit the skills you need.
We worked with MBIE to define the challenges our members were experiencing with getting skilled workers through the border, which led to the establishment of an MIQ Group Allocation for the construction and infrastructure sector, which we helped govern. From May 2021 to March 2022, nearly 600 critical workers entered New Zealand through this process.
Skills Shortage, Recruitment and Immigration Challenges report
This joint report with Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects, Civil Contractors NZ and Registered Master Builders Association called for Immigration New Zealand to increase ease of access to essential overseas workers for the construction sector to ensure infrastructure investments across New Zealand could be delivered in a sustainable and timely manner. This led to strong engagement with MBIE and Immigration NZ, and contributed to the easing of border restrictions for skilled construction and infrastructure workers in early 2022.
In a letter to Construction Sector Accord ministers, we urged them to consider a targeted advertising campaign to attract skilled construction and infrastructure workers to Aotearoa. The initiative received support, and we continue to work with industry and the Government to promote New Zealand as an attractive and viable option for international construction and infrastructure workers.
With our Legal Forum we continued to advocate for members on emerging issues around risk and liability, including negotiating with Kāinga Ora on fair terms and conditions around their CCCS, managing conversations with local government bodies and central government clients and contributing to the review of NZS3910 currently being undertaken by Standards NZ. We led a panel session on a consultant’s perspective on risk and liability at the International Society of Construction Law conference.
