New Zealand scraps option to request second MEPV

The New Zealand government is tightening the Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa (MEPV) as part of its efforts to stabilise the country's immigration system.

The MEPV allows migrant workers to leave exploitation situations quickly while remaining in New Zealand lawfully for six months while they try to find new work.

However, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford noted that the current criteria for the visa are "too broad and risks prolonging the time migrants remain in a vulnerable position."

"These settings need to be balanced to ensure they provide the ability for migrants to leave exploitative employment," Stanford said in a statement.

So beginning October 30, migrant workers' ability to apply for a second MEPV to extend their stay for another six months will be removed.

Current holders of MEPV

But current holders of the MEPV that will expire on or before November 30 may still apply for a second MEPV until October 30, according to the government.

"This ensures migrants have adequate time to find further work or arrange their affairs and depart New Zealand," Stanford said.

"They also reduce the prospect of migrants being in financially precarious and vulnerable situations, and the risk of future exploitation."

Other changes to the MEPV include:

• Clarifying that situations involving lawful employment terminations, non-payment of final wages due to liquidation, and redundancies do not meet the definition of migrant exploitation.
• Refining the definition of migrant exploitation to specify that exploitation must be linked to a genuine employment relationship.

The New Zealand government has been making various changes to visas involving migrant workers. Earlier this year, it announced that it would bring back the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme to pre-pandemic settings.

Among the changes under the AEWV are the introduction of an English language requirement and a minimum skills or experience threshold.