Long delays by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to conduct job checks for work visa applications are impacting hospitality, presenting challenges and stress for businesses that hire migrants, Hospitality NZ says.

One applicant had to wait four months for INZ to do her job check, which was needed for her work visa but lost her job because her would-be employer could not hold the position for her.

Jessica Choong arrived in New Zealand in 2020 and studied at the Manukau Institute of Technology.

She was granted a visitor visa to stay for her graduation after she completed her six-month course.

During that time, the former Malaysian Airlines flight attendant secured a job as a barista at a cafe located at the Auckland International Airport.

The business was an accredited employer with Immigration NZ and lodged a job check on August 21 last year as part of the process to get her a work visa under the accredited employer work visa scheme.

The scheme was introduced in October 2022 and aimed at fast-tracking the work visa application of migrant workers businesses needed, but is currently under review.

Steve Armitage, chief executive of Hospitality New Zealand. Photo / Michael Craig

Choong’s job check was completed just before Christmas - four months after it was lodged - but when she reached out to her would-be employer, they told her they had already hired someone else.

“The delay to job checks is certainly impacting hospitality, presenting ongoing challenges for many employers,” said Steve Armitage, Hospitality NZ chief excutive.

“We are regularly hearing from our members that Immigration NZ delays are causing stress for businesses that hire migrants.”

Choong was told in a message from the cafe that: “We held the position for a very long time while the visa process was taking place.. .unfortunately, it is just a little too late.”

The business informed her that they were now already fully recruited as the new cafe where Choong was meant to work had opened in December.

INZ acknowledged that most applications were taking longer than the targeted 10 days to process job checks at the moment.

Jessica Choong lost her job after being made to wait four months for INZ to do a job check for her work visa. Photo / Dean Purcell

Dominic Forde, INZ operations director (central/southern) said for privacy reasons, the agency could not comment on an employer job check application.

“We appreciate the stressful situation that Ms Choong is in,” Forde said.

He confirmed Choong was in New Zealand on a visitor visa which expired on October 10 and she was then approved a further visitor visa which is valid until February 21.

Forde said INZ had recently made adjustments to the assessment approach.

“We are making more requests for further information from employers to confirm job vacancies are current, vacancies are genuine, and whether employers can support the migrants they plan to hire,” he said.

“As a result, we are experiencing an increase in our processing times for the employer accreditation and job check stages of the AEWV category. Most applications are taking longer than 10 days to process at present.”

Delay in job checks causing stress for businesses that hire migrants says Hospitality NZ. Photo / 123rf

Forde said employers should allow at least six weeks to apply for accreditation and six weeks to apply for a job check with current processing times.

“We are working to improve these.”

Armitage said INZ’s failure to meet timelines stated on their own websites added to the frustration and uncertainty for applicants and businesses.

“Good staff waiting on visas are unable to work, there’s uncertainty about if and when they will receive their visa, and while employers are compassionate about that situation, they need to find staff to fill vacancies elsewhere,” he said.

Job checks were introduced to ensure New Zealanders are not overlooked for the job, and a business can apply for a job check if the employer has been accredited by Immigration NZ.

“We appreciate that each step of the AEWV category needs some time to work through,” Armitage said.

“The frustration is that the kinks in the AEWV scheme, which has been in place for 18 months now, are still being worked through at the expense of businesses and migrants.”

Choong said the delay had caused a “major disruption” in her life and had left her in a precarious position.

“I feel it is so unfair because I have done everything that is required by INZ, but they just delayed the job check to the point where I lost job,” she said.

“INZ’s delay has now put my life in limbo.”

Choong said she had been living off her savings and spent quite a considerable amount on rent and other living expenses while waiting to start work.

“Now I will have no income, and just a few weeks before my visitor visa expires meaning I will have hardly any time left to look for another job,” she said.

“This uncertainty is causing considerable stress and anxiety.”

Forde said Choong should refer to the INZ website to determine her eligibility for a further visa to remain in New Zealand at the expiry of her current visa.

As at January 15, 2024, the total number of job checks completed between January 1 and December 31 was 38,547. The average processing time was six weekdays.