Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announces residence pathway for 165,000 migrant workers

A one-off residence pathway visa will be offered to the roughly 165,000 migrant workers and their families stranded here through the pandemic.

Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi made the long-awaited announcement this morning, which he said would provide those migrants and their families and New Zealand businesses certainty so they could plan into the future.

"The changes give migrants certainty about their future here, allowing them to continue putting down roots, and will help reunite many families who were separated by the border restrictions that prevent Covid-19 from entering the community.

"We acknowledge the uncertainty and difficulties Covid-19 and our closed borders have caused our migrant community.

"We have been carefully working through this residence option to offer certainty they need to truly make New Zealand their home."

The one-off resident visa would create a residence pathway for about 165,000 migrant workers and their families, including more than 5000 health and aged-care workers, about 9000 primary industry workers, and more than 800 teachers.

There are also around 15,000 construction and 12,000 manufacturing workers on relevant visa types, some of whom will be eligible for the one-off pathway.

It would include a streamlined application process requiring health, police and security criteria to be met and majority of applications would be granted within a year of the category opening.