Canterbury Skills Shortages List revised

New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has revised the Canterbury Skill Shortage List (CSSL) with effect from 14 February 2014.

The changes see four occupations added to the CSSL – Truck Driver (General), Welder, Fitter-Welder and Metal Fabricator, while the occupation of Urban and Regional Planner has been removed.

It has also been announced that some qualifying criteria for people with skills in occupations included on the list has also been amended. The changes remove some qualifications which are outdated and add relevant new qualifications, and also clarify which qualifications are required, to assist both applicants and immigration officers. The changes align with proposed wording for the country’s two other skills shortage lists: Long Term Skill Shortage List and the Immediate Skill Shortage List.

Canterbury has special labour market needs because of the need to rebuild the region following recent earthquakes. The CSSL is reviewed and updated regularly in order to ensure that the Ministry’s policy is flexible and responsive to changing economic and labour market conditions in the region. As part of reviews, information is gathered from sector representatives in Canterbury, and this is considered alongside economic, labour market and immigration data. It is important that the list reflects genuine skill shortages so New Zealanders are not disadvantaged in seeking employment and training.

If a migrant meets the requirements of an occupation listed and they have a job offer in Canterbury, they may be granted a temporary work visa without the need of a labour market check.

You can check whether your skills are in demand in Canterbury, or indeed any other region of NZ, by visiting the following website: http://skillshortages.immigration.govt.nz/

The next review of the CSSL is slated to take place around June 2014.

For more immigration information to New Zealand, please visit https://emigrate2.co.uk/new-zealand/