New Zealand Winegrowers has welcomed the government's announcement of a new Special Purpose Work Visa (SPWV) for seasonal workers.
This SPWV will give wineries confidence and certainty in accessing the experienced seasonal international workers they need for the 2025 grape and wine harvest.
“Each year, our wineries need to lift the capacity of their workforce for a short period during harvest. Our priority is to employ New Zealanders, but there is always a gap we need to fill from offshore,” said New Zealand Winegrowers CEO Philip Gregan.
“Without these international staff, we could not manage the intake of all the grapes from more than 42,000 hectares of vineyards across New Zealand.”
Wineries will warmly welcome this initiative as creating the SPWV pathway has recognised the importance of international workers filling short-term peak seasonal roles that are not intended to be permanent.
Gregan has supported the recalibration of the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) settings to balance the integrity of the immigration system, the opportunity for New Zealanders to gain work, and the ability for employers to source the workers they need when needed.
The previous AEWV settings did not deliver for the wine industry for these peak seasonal wine roles. He thanked the Minister for responding positively and promptly to the concerns about existing visa settings.
“These changes will make a difference and are very welcome.”
Every year, wineries require additional staff, called wine cellar hands, to supplement the permanent winemaking teams. They are required for harvest and vintage, which lasts anywhere from six to twelve weeks, from February to May.
In 2023, 314 wine cellar hands were approved under AEWV for vintage 2024. New Zealand wine exports are more than $2 billion annually, and New Zealand Wine employs 7,000 New Zealanders.
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