A manufacturing company in Tauranga has warned it may be forced to close if the government does not ease English language rules for skilled workers. Employers say the current standards unfairly put skilled migrants at risk, while the new investor visa allows applicants with much lower English scores.
The company, GammInCo, relies heavily on migrant workers, including Brazilian CNC machinist Ivan Inthurn. His role is vital for the business, but he now faces losing his residency chance because he has not reached the required English score. “I study every week. I practice at school, church, and jiu-jitsu. But 6.5 is a very high level for me,” he said.
Under existing rules, skilled migrants must score at least 6.5 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A score of 5 is considered modest, while 7 is described as a good level, similar to university entry standards. However, applicants for the government’s new business investor visa need only an overall score of 5.
This difference has sparked criticism. Immigration adviser Steve Norrie said many New Zealanders themselves would fail to reach IELTS 6.5. He questioned why business investors faced lower standards even though they must deal with staff, suppliers, and customers at a high level. “That’s really bizarre,” he said.
Workers in other industries are also frustrated. Aged-care worker Sthefany Paixao Silva said the test did not reflect her real ability. “I work with seniors, so I know how to speak English. This test is only testing how to pass the test,” she said. She explained she had already spent hundreds of dollars on tutors and practice exams, with all costs falling on her alone.
Employers echoed these concerns, warning that businesses could collapse without skilled migrants. “Without being dramatic, we’d be closing the doors, because a third of our machinists are migrant workers,” said GammInCo’s People and Culture Manager, Melanie Hartwell.
The Association for Migration and Investment also called for urgent changes. It pointed out that rules were inconsistent, with some migrants from French-speaking regions not required to provide English results, while others from English-speaking countries had to take the test.
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford defended the system, saying the lower score was enough for investors to operate businesses and engage with staff. But with skilled migrants at risk and employers raising alarms, the debate over English test rules has become a growing concern for New Zealand’s economy.