2018-Mar 16: Variation of Conditions – Declared Labour Shortage across Hawke’s Bay

Visa Pak 348 - Declared Labour Shortage across the Hawke's Bay region and advice for processing Variation of Conditions to undertake seasonal work in this region.

Visa Paks

16 March 2018

Variation of Conditions – Declared Labour Shortage across Hawke’s Bay

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) may approve a Variation of Conditions (VOC) for holders of visitor visas for a maximum duration of six weeks to undertake seasonal work in any region where the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has declared a seasonal labour shortage.

Seasonal work includes planting, maintaining, harvesting and picking crops in the horticulture or viticulture industries.

The MSD East Coast Regional Commissioner has declared a labour shortage across the Hawke’s Bay region from 12 March to 6 April 2018.

Process

Applications received by NADO will be lodged as a priority and sent to Porirua for processing. Applications which are received in other offices should be lodged and processed in that office.  Due to the short term nature of the labour shortage, it is recommended that any applications received are processed as a priority.

When processing VOC applications under instructions E3.26.5, Immigration Officers must ensure that the following lodgement requirements are met:

• Variation of Conditions Application Form
• Fee
• Passport
• Must be on a valid visitor visa (any category) which does not expire until after 6 April 2018.

These applications must be lodged under the special category in AMS – Visa, Visitor, Vary Conditions Hort/Vit

Please also ensure that the following conditions are entered on the visa label:

“The holder may undertake seasonal work for any horticulture/viticulture employer in the Hawke’s Bay Region from 12 March to 6 April 2018”.

Note: VOCs can only be granted for a maximum of six weeks and can only be valid for the period of the declared labour shortage.