The New Zealand Government has added 32 new health sector roles to the Straight to Residence pathway of the Green List to help prepare the health system for the coming winter. This move is to attract more qualified health workers to New Zealand and help improve access to good healthcare in the country. Immigration Minister Michael Wood and Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall announced this initiative, stating that the addition of these roles is a significant step in attracting more people to work in the health system.
Why are These New Roles Important?
The world is currently facing a global health worker shortage, and New Zealand is no exception. Therefore, it is essential to create a competitive offer that attracts health workers to the country’s shores. The addition of these new roles is a positive step, along with better wages for nurses and immigration support, to influence the number of health workers who come to New Zealand. The health sector is one of the priority areas for the New Zealand Government, and the addition of these roles shows their commitment to addressing the health worker shortage in the country.
What are the New Roles Added to the Green List Straight to Residence Pathway?
The 32 health roles added to the Green List’s Straight to Residence pathway span across the wider health sector, from enrolled nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists and dental technicians, MRI scanning technologists, paramedics, optometrists, and pharmacists to counseling. The Green List now has a total of 48 health roles, all of which are nationally important and will be on the Straight to Residence pathway. The list already includes midwives and registered nurses, which were added to the Green List in December.
What is the Straight to Residence Pathway?
The Straight to Residence pathway is a streamlined immigration process that enables certain skilled workers to apply for residence in New Zealand without first holding a temporary visa. The Green List is a list of occupations that have been identified as having a shortage in New Zealand and, therefore, require skilled migrant workers to fill these roles. The Straight to Residence pathway aims to help attract skilled migrants to the country and enable them to contribute to the economy and society.
What Other Sectors are Included in the Green List?
The Green List also includes roles that contribute to the wellbeing of Kiwi families, including social services, education, justice, and are critical to health service delivery in New Zealand. The addition of these new roles will help fill the shortages in these areas and contribute to a more robust and diverse workforce.
Transport Sector Agreement to Be Extended to Skippers and Deck Hands
In addition to the new health roles, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced that skippers and deckhands would be added to the transport sector agreement. In seaside cities, ferries form an essential part of the public transport system, so it is critical that ferry service operators have access to key workers to enhance the reliability of these services. The market rate for skippers is already above the median wage. Operators will need to continue to pay migrant worker skippers the market rate, and migrant worker deckhands will need to be paid at least the median wage to utilize this sector agreement.
Conclusion
The addition of 32 new health sector roles to the Green List Straight to Residence pathway is a positive step in attracting skilled health workers to New Zealand. The Straight to Residence pathway is an important initiative that streamlines the immigration process for skilled workers and enables them to contribute to the economy and society. In addition to the health sector, the Green List includes roles critical to health service delivery and the wellbeing of Kiwi families. The transport sector agreement’s extension to skippers and deckhands will help ensure the reliability of ferry services in seaside cities. The New Zealand Government’s commitment to addressing the health worker shortage in the country is a positive step in creating a better NZ for everyone.