New Residence Routes for Tradespeople as Regional New Zealand Runs Short of Workers

News · 2026-09-26 · 4 min read

Many country areas of New Zealand are growing fast. But they face the same problem again and again: there are not enough skilled workers to build what is needed. The Mackenzie District is a clear example. Big infrastructure projects are arriving at a time when workers are hard to find. Just as important, there are not enough houses for new workers to live in. If you are looking at sponsored jobs in New Zealand for Indonesian workers, this story is worth reading.

Changes to the Skilled Migrant Category

Immigration New Zealand has made changes to the Skilled Migrant Category. It has added two new pathways, and they started last month:

The Trades and Technician Pathway: for applicants who hold a Level 4 or higher qualification and have at least four years of relevant experience. This must include 18 months of work experience in New Zealand, paid at or above the median wage.
The Skilled Work Experience Pathway: a second route that gives credit for practical, on-the-job experience.

If you have trade qualifications and hands-on experience, this gives you a clearer path to residence than many people had before. It was designed with the skills regional New Zealand is missing in mind.

One district shows a national trend

About 150 building consents have been issued this year in Twizel, Tekapo and Fairlie. Several big solar projects are also going through the fast-track consenting process. These include Haldon, Grampians, Balmoral Station and Twizel. Together, they are expected to create work for close to 1,000 people over the next few years. Haldon Solar alone should start construction within 18 months.

The district has few residents, so local people cannot fill these roles. And this is not only happening in Mackenzie. Across much of provincial New Zealand you see the same pattern: big projects, small local workforces, and housing that has not kept up with growth.

How builders are reacting

The construction industry has welcomed the news, but carefully. People in the sector say the pathway is a real step forward. However, they also say that a new visa route cannot fix deeper problems on its own. These include workloads that rise and fall, project pipelines that are not steady, and the risk that skilled workers move to Australia or to other industries when confidence in New Zealand drops.

Industry leaders also have a message for the government. Migration rules need to stay steady over the long term. They should not change just because of short political cycles. Training an apprentice takes years. So does helping an experienced migrant tradesperson learn New Zealand's building code and standards. Planning must look several years into the future.

Who gains, and what to keep in mind

Workers hoping to settle

This route to New Zealand residence is easier to understand and is based on clear criteria. It suits people with trade qualifications and NZ work experience. But the requirements are real: the median wage and 18 months of local experience. Good preparation and the right evidence are very important.

Employers

The pathway helps employers keep workers they have already spent time and money training. To use it, they must show that the wage and experience levels are met.

The building industry

A visa pathway fixes only one part of a much bigger issue. According to the 2026 BDO NZ Construction Sector report, construction activity fell to its lowest point since 2015. Two-thirds of companies said they had projects cancelled or put on hold. Migration rules can bring in more talent. But keeping workers, giving projects certainty and building enough housing are still the harder problems.

Tips before you start

If you hope to use one of these routes later, start getting ready now. Prepare a clear English CV. Take an English test such as IELTS or PTE if the visa or employer asks for one. If you need a police certificate, you can apply for an SKCK from the Indonesian National Police. Get your Indonesian documents translated into English when the rules require it.

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