Workforce shortages hits the building and construction sector as it becomes increasingly desperate for skilled workers, says National’s Building and Construction spokesperson Andrew Bayly.

“Construction companies have been hit from both sides, with workers leaving in droves to go overseas, and the Labour Government failing to attract highly skilled international workers to fill the void because of their poor management of immigration.

“Immigration Minister Michael Wood revealed that only 345 people working in the construction or infrastructure sectors have been granted an ‘other critical worker’ border exception and arrived in New Zealand this year.

“But according to Julien Leys of the NZ Building Industry Federation, the sector has a shortage of around 20,000 workers.

“All this at a time when there is unrelenting pressure on the sector with new building consents reaching record highs – close to 50,000.

“Many developers cannot do the work because they don’t have the people to be able to build the houses. Not only have they lost access to foreign labour, but companies are also crying out for apprentices.

“The shambles of Labour’s mega polytechnic, Te Pūkenga, could not have come at a worse time. The changes to vocational training and the Industry Training Organisations add to disarray in the sector.

“Labour’s failure to deliver the skilled migrants this country needs is reducing productivity, driving up prices and making the cost of living crisis even worse. Meanwhile, over 100 construction companies have been liquidated or bankrupted in the last seven months. New Zealand deserves better.”

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