Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway outlines immigration changes to address labour market skills shortages with focus on the regions and teachers

There always is and always has been a shortage of naive docile skilled workers. While there are countries which are poorer than NZ there will always be a supply of these workers. While migrants are willing to do jobs that kiwis will not do there will never be an incentive to increase wages or train Kiwis.

The reason why nobody lives in small town NZ is because the wages are too low for a lot of the work there.

The immigration system is absurd.

The government should not be defining which skills are needed. The market should openly decide.

Employers wanting immigrants for jobs should have to bid for the visas via an online government platform, with the highest bids winning.

Strong legislation would be added to ensure employers do not claw back visa costs from the immigrant workers directly.

The government would set a quota total number of visas to maintain a sustainable immigration rate (maximize gdp/capita growth)

Employers could then weigh up the relative costs of:
a) the visa
b) offering someone in NZ the job with a higher salary to attract them to the job
c) paying to train existing staff to do the job

I'm always puzzled when I read about the majority of employers struggling to find 'skilled' staff.
When I read job ads (I am looking for a better job atm) most of them specify, regardless of how niche the job is, that they need someone with x years of experience doing precisely that job. They're seemingly unwilling to train someone. I've applied for any number of jobs that I'm absolutely confident I could do without getting even the courtesy of an answer from employers.

In a sense I understand that, because it's a big risk to spend months, weeks or years training someone who could bugger off at any moment. That's the price of having a labour market where there's no trust between employers and employees (who are quite aware that they, likewise, could be booted at any time regardless of their dedicated service). Nonetheless it's very frustrating for someone in my situation. I'm still young, educated, have decent work ethic, and open-minded about what kind of work I do - but you might be amazed how difficult it is to find work nonetheless, at least if you've made the mistake of getting a generalised rather than specific technical qualification.

(d.p.)

One should also toss into the pot, in the Interests of a useful discush, the electoral choices of these new entrants.

Based on the principle of 'Don't Bite the Hand wot Got You In', they tend to a reliable incumbent voting bloc. Docile, too, especially if the precise Way of getting Let In was, shall we say, Dodgy.

Always ask 'Cui Bono?'.......

Is there any comment from the Government about initiatives to train locals in the areas of skill shortages in the regions? If not then it begs the question, have they given up on Kiwi's being able to do the jobs or up-skill to be able to do the jobs? This will make a lie out of at least one of their election platforms.

Noncents comment here about the lack of opportunities is very relevant, as I too see that. One of the initiatives the Government should be looking at is creating opportunities in the regions. Encouraging a supporting business's to set up in small town NZ. Create the opportunities and the skills will come. Bringing in immigrants just kicks the legs out from under Kiwi's.