Immigration and Associate Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has launched two new guides today to help migrant dairy workers and their employers work together more successfully.

“Migrant workers make up a small but significant part of the dairy industry workforce, filling the gaps where there are not enough New Zealanders available.

“There are now around 1500 migrant dairy workers in the country, making up 6% of the workforce. The majority come from the Philippines and demand has increased in recent years as it has proved difficult to attract and retain local workers in some parts of rural New Zealand.

“The dairy industry is worth more than $13 billion in export value to New Zealand and is our largest single exporter. It’s in everyone’s interest that migrant workers fit easily into rural communities.”

The guides cover topics including employment and immigration law, keeping safe, working with animals, our changeable weather, Kiwi slang and expressions, and adapting to rural life.

“The guides have come out of the Migrant Dairy Workers Initiative, which was set up by Immigration New Zealand in February last year in response to concerns about the welfare of migrant dairy farm workers and their families.”

Industry partners such as Federated Farmers, Rural Women and DairyNZ have all contributed to these brochures.

Copies of the guides, Are you recruiting migrant workers? What do you need to know? and Living and working on a New Zealand dairy farm are available at www.ssnz.govt.nz/dairyfarming/

The guide for workers will also be available in Tagalog (for Filipino workers) and Spanish (for South American workers) in early April.

(Source Beehive, N Guy)