As you are aware, Summerfruit NZ has a board sub-committee focused on solutions to our seasonal labour demand. This sub-committee involves Summerfruit NZ, growers, Central Otago District Council, Ministry for Social Development (MSD), and Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The work of the sub-committee has focused on seven potential cohorts of employees in the mix for the coming season:
- Domestic students
- International students
- NZ backpackers
- Unemployed New Zealanders
- RSE workers
- Other migrants
- Motor Caravan Association/Retirees
We have developed a ‘Handpicked’ brand/logo which is the basis of our material, all pointing potential employees to www.worktheseasons.co.nz/horticulture Look out for further sector information on this webpage.
A key part of our role in this process has been to work with Government to adapt policy and find workable solutions. Pleasingly our collective horticulture and wine industry advocacy has seen some very important decisions announced by Minister Faafoi yesterday (see below). There is still much to be done and we, together with other sectors and HortNZ will continue this work. For a full view of the labour workplan – please click here.
We have been in discussion with NZ Apples and Pears Inc (NZAPI) to economise our regional efforts, with Summerfruit NZ looking after Central Otago, and NZAPI covering Hawke’s Bay. More info will come out to ensure growers are appropriately connected with regional information.
Unemployed New Zealanders
Making contact with MSD
In Central Otago MSD workbrokers are working on placements for the first tranche of people – it is important that growers in this region make contact with Chelsea Wong at MSD (Chelsea.Wong008@msd.govt.nz), to ensure she knows who needs workers and when.
Capturing your employment efforts
We encourage you to keep good records of how you’ve gone about employing New Zealanders – how many applied, how many ended up being employed, who doesn’t make it to start, or turn up, etc. All of this will be critical to informing our policy work (ie we may ask you to send us this info for demonstrating what the sector has been doing) and for helping your application to Immigration NZ for visa holders.
Students
Now that the mid-semester break has passed, students are thinking about both exams and post-semester work. Summerfruit NZ is commencing an advertising campaign in student magazines next week. This is targeted across New Zealand for all regions. Key to the success of this is advertising your vacancies, both those you have now, and to fill demand as the season progresses. All of our advertising and campaign messaging is pointing candidates to the Work the Seasons website, so we encourage all growers and packers to get advertisements up on this website asap.
Given the shortage of internships and other employment, do consider specialist or skilled students for some of your more complex and/or permanent roles (eg line managers in packhouses).
We are developing a relationship with the International Students Association and hope to have more information about the expectations of international students for you soon. Think about these students in the same light as RSE workers (pastoral care, accommodation and transport as a package), and if you’re keen to employ them please let us know.
Migrant workers in New Zealand
Yesterday the Minister of Immigration announced a number of important decisions that are positive for our seasonal labour challenge. This is an important commitment by the Government to supporting the horticulture and wine sectors, and recognises our concerns about labour shortages. In essence this decision will, where certain thresholds are met, enable migrant workers to be employed to ensure we can harvest and pack our crops. More details can be found here. Note that these changes will not take effect until 1 November, so we need to prepare now to be well-placed to take up workers when the conditions are met.
There will be three broad options available for employers:
- RSE employers without a full approved complement of RSE workers will be able to fill the vacancies with other visa holders.
- Employers holding Approval – In-Principle for Supplementary Seasonal Employment (SSE). NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc have a great info paper here.
- A regional occupations shortage listing (to be developed).
We will work through the details with Immigration NZ, and with MSD in regions to ensure roles, where shortages exist, are added to the approved listing in regions. Watch out for further information as this becomes available. There are some initial queries regarding SSE AIP and visas which we will work on answers to in the next week.
Working Holiday Visas (WHV)
Any WHV expiring between 1 November 2020 and 31 March 2021 will automatically transfer to SSE visas. Those WHV that expire before 1 November, will need to apply for a visitor’s visa to bridge the gap until 1 November, when they will be able to apply for SSE visas. Therefore, if you have WHV holders who are hoping to work, and their visas expire before 1 November, we suggest you make contact with them as to what they should do to remain legally in New Zealand, and then make themselves available for SSE visas at the right time.
Making employment attractive
Key to successful attraction is a tempting proposition to potential workers. We have recently had feedback that a number of grower advertisements have done little to tempt, or attract, responses from would be employees. Making it clear what the role entails and setting out your point of difference, or even just making clear what you are offering (eg accommodation, free wifi, etc), will help attract potential workers.
We are working with MPI, Otago Polytech and PrimaryITO to develop some taster webinars and courses to help demystify the work in summerfruit, and provide lead-in training. We intend that some of this will be captured in video form to be used with students and other cohorts with no or little knowledge of the industry and what the work entails. Further details about these programmes will be available soon.
Labour checklist – September
- Think about your solutions
- get good adverts on to www.worktheseasons.co.nz/horticulture
- find different accommodation options for a broader range of workers (we’ll have a list for Central Otago available soon)
- develop a system to keep good records of job applicants and uptake, as well as specific work you do to attract and employ New Zealanders
- what can you do to enhance attraction to your orchard (social events, etc)
- Get familiar with the application form for Employer Approval in Principle for SSE visas, if you intend to employ migrants through this mechanism.
- Give us feedback on issues of concern, with facts or data wherever possible. This includes challenges with agency processing, website functionality, policy ideas, etc. If we know about them, we can try to assist.
- Take a break before the season really kicks in – this is a season like no other, and we all need to be 100% optimum at harvest to get our best results. Contact your local Rural Support Trust if you need some assistance.