WJ1.5 Objective

The objectives of the Foreign Crew of Fishing Vessels instructions are to:

1. allow the New Zealand fishing industry to supplement the New Zealand workforce with non-New Zealand citizen or residence class visa holder workers while ensuring that growth in the industry is supported primarily by New Zealand crew;
2. promote best practice in the fishing industry to support economic growth and productivity of the industry as a whole, while ensuring that the employment conditions of both New Zealand and non-New Zealand citizen or residence class visa holder workers are protected and supported;
3. ensure workers recruited under these instructions are adequately paid;
4. ensure outcomes which promote the integrity, credibility and reputation of the New Zealand immigration and employment relations systems; and
5. protect New Zealand’s international reputation.

WJ1.5.1 Meeting the objectives of the Foreign Crew of Fishing vessels instructions

To ensure these objectives are met:

1. work visas for foreign fishing crew will be granted only where:
   1. there are available places for employment:
      • in the annual foreign fishing crew cap (see WJ1.7); and
      • in the employer’s allocation as part of that cap; and ii. the immigration officer is satisfied
   2. the New Zealand employer will comply with the requirements specified for such activity; and
2. a high standard of proof is required to satisfy officers that such requirements and the requirements of immigration instructions will be and are being met; and
3. the immigration officer must consider the compliance history and particular arrangements (including crew recruitment practices) of individuals associated with the New Zealand employer; and
4. permission to use foreign labour will be withdrawn and further permission refused where there is any breach of requirements other than of a minor nature, that has not been remedied to the satisfaction of Immigration New Zealand.

Effective 31/10/2022