Contractor labour exchange with New Zealand launched

A lack of availability of agricultural contractors has led to the creation of a new partnership between the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) and Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ).

The two organisations are working together to help source labour in each country during seasonal peaks.

There are opportunities for workers to apply for visas, starting from October, to work in New Zealand during its busier period and then return to the UK in the spring.

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Interested applicants should contact either the NAAC or RCNZ with their applications to be put in touch with potential employers in the country.

Jill Hewitt, NAAC chief executive, said it was a fantastic opportunity for workers to gain experience, see the world and keep busy year-round, while also reducing the pressure on its contracting members to retain staff through the winter.

RCNZ chief executive Andrew Olsen said: “Covid and closed borders severed a lot of the international ties our members had to contacts in the UK, and while there are some of the bigger players that can sort experienced labour, the vast majority are a bit stuck on connecting to the UK labour market. This is where the trade bodies can help out.”

Visas

UK workers under 35 looking to work in New Zealand can apply for a holiday working visa if they have not been before, while workers from New Zealand aged 18-35 can apply for a working visa in the UK for up to two years.

Skilled workers from both the UK and New Zealand are able to work in the other country if they are sponsored by an employer in that country.