Site Safe initiative aims to help immigrant construction workers

Site Safe’s move to partner with a Filipino recruitment company is well timed, with changes to the Immediate Skills Shortage List (ISSL) making it easier for construction businesses to hire immigrants now in effect

Construction workers coming to New Zealand from the Philippines can look forward to hitting the ground running thanks to Site Safe. The organisation now provides entry-level health and safety training through a newly formed partnership with Working In Resourcing, an NZ-based immigration company, and its Philippines-based counterpart, recruitment agency YWA Human Resource Corporation.

“Teaming up with great recruitment agencies in the Philippines means workers will already have the right health and safety training to get them on to site faster,” said Site Safe Chief Executive Alison Molloy. “This will help minimise delays for the New Zealand businesses who employ Filipino workers and provide a smoother transition process for the workers on arrival.”

“We recognise that access to workers is a significant hurdle facing the construction industry and believe that this partnership will help improve turnaround timeframes for both our members and the wider industry.”

The partnership coincides with changes to the ISSL, which took effect at the start of February.

Announcing the changes last year, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said that the construction industry is in need of skilled workers.

“Employing skilled migrants will meet the immediate demand required to rapidly increase the number of houses in New Zealand,” said Mr Lees-Galloway.

“In the near future, KiwiBuild will be a catalyst for more young New Zealanders to work in the construction industry.”

Employers looking to fill an occupation on the list do not need to go through the normal labour market process and don’t need to prove they can find a New Zealander for the job.

The following occupations have been added to the list:

• Carpenter
• Carpenter and Joiner
• Fibrous Plasterer
• Joiner
• Roof Plumber
• Roof Tiler
• Solid Plasterer.

Demand for construction labour is forecast to increase by 11% (56,000 people) over the next five years.