New Zealand Dairy Sector Update: Skilled Occupations

Changes have been made to Residence and Temporary Entry immigration instructions by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to reflect new task descriptions developed by Statistics New Zealand, for three dairy roles under the occupation Dairy Cattle Farmer (ANZSCO 121313).

With effect 15 February 2021, INZ will now assess the following roles based on version 1.3 of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO), provided by Statistics New Zealand in their Ariā classification management system :

• Dairy Farm Manager (Skill Level 1)
• Assistant Dairy Farm Manager (Skill Level 3)
• Dairy Herd Manager (Skill Level 3)

In the past, only Dairy Farm Managers were considered as skilled occupation by INZ for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC). This is a skill level 1 occupation on ANZSCO which requires either a bachelor’s degree or five years’ experience. Not everybody could meet the qualification and/or experience requirements for the skill level 1 position, thus preventing many dairy farmworkers from applying for residence under the SMC.

What Does The Change Mean?

The recent change now means that applicants will now also be able to apply for residence based on the above two skill level 3 positions provided they can meet the other eligibility requirements. Skill level 3 occupations generally require either three years of relevant work experience or a level 4 qualification.

The other dairy farm occupation on the earlier version of ANZSCO is that of a Dairy Farm Worker, a skill level 5 position that made it difficult for many other farmworkers who did not meet the requirements for the skill level 1 position to apply for residence.

The newly introduced changes will now open pathways for residence for a large number of dairy farmworkers, and will also go a long way in addressing the manpower challenges faced by employers in this industry.

If you are working in the dairy industry or planning to take up a role, and would like to discuss the possibility of applying for residence, what it involves or whether you qualify, please email Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd at contact@nzimmigration.info or call us today on +64 09 3790219