New Zealand toughens requirements for skilled immigrants
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand announced Wednesday that it is introducing tougher requirements for skilled overseas workers as it tries to control immigration numbers that have reached an all-time high.
The changes come a day after Australia said it would scrap a temporary visa for skilled overseas workers and after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order he said should help American workers whose jobs are threatened by skilled immigrants.
New Zealand’s Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said in a speech that the government was unapologetic that industries relying on overseas workers are finding it harder to recruit people from abroad.
“We are absolutely committed to the principle of kiwis first,” he said, using an informal term for New Zealanders.