According to a recent announcement by the New Zealand Immigration Department, the entertainment industry professionals from overseas nations will be provided with Work Visa, if they are having some work for a period of less than 14 days.
Pursuant to this new policy, the approval from local guilds or unions is not required. At present, the entertainment guilds and unions of the country are provided with right to objection, on the migration of overseas entertainment professionals to New Zealand, provided it’s found a native actor can justify the role.
This policy was passed in last September, which is scheduled to come into action in March, 2012. It simply indicates that the entertainment workers from abroad now don’t need to apply for approval from the guilds and unions to enter the nation on temporary visas which are for less than 14 days.
From early in March, two different types of applications for foreign entertainers for New Zealand Work Visas will be provided: an improved process, with no reference from guild or union, for candidates working in the country for less 14 days; and another type for other workers, staying in the country more than 14 days, which will be subject to industry-led labour market examine. However, it is assumed that the most of the applicants will become eligible to qualify under the first category.
Due to these changes in the existing policy, the native industry guilds and unions are having a sense of fear that this latest law may restrict the employment opportunity for local entertainment workers, including musicians and actors.
In this connection, Jonathan Coleman, the NZ Immigration Minister was quoted as saying that the existing immigration policy of the nation is out-of-date, which has been following for the period of 20 years even as the industry of entertainment has grown incredibly over this period.
To provide a simple and much improved immigration system, Wellington is, therefore, planning to remove the outmoded, bureaucratic procedure, which has made the nation a less appealing destination for those involved with the entertainment and screen industry.
