The New Zealand government has announced a new transport sector agreement. This will provide a two-year work to residence pathway for critical transport occupations such as bus drivers and truck drivers.
Median wage exemption for bus drivers
Employers will have a median wage exemption set at $28 an hour when hiring bus drivers for an eligible role on an Accredited Employer Work Visa, with immediate effect.
To be eligible, the role must either:
- be for an employer who has signed the All Parties Memorandum of Understanding on Improving Bus Driver Pay and Conditions, or
- be as a school bus driver on a Ministry of Education-funded school bus service
Other roles covered by the transport sector agreement are not exempt from the median wage threshold, as the market rate for skilled workers in these roles is already above the median wage.
Interim Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) job check application approach
Due to systems constraints, the AEWV job check application form will not reflect the median wage exemption changes until 29th May 2023. In the meantime, the following applies:
When completing the AEWV Job Check application form and entering $28 into the ‘minimum hourly rate of pay’ field, a ‘below the median wage’ warning will pop up. This warning should be ignored, and the rest of the form completed. The user will not be stopped from completing or submitting the form. If an amount less than $28 is entered the job check application is unlikely to be approved.
Transport sector agreements offering work to residence pathway
The transport sector agreement provides a two-year work to residence pathway for people working in the following occupations:
- Bus driver
- Truck driver
- Deck hand
- Ship’s master (skipper)
Want to see if you might be eligible? Then get in touch with us today!
