Erica Stanford: Immigration and Education Minister on the residency pathway for skilled migrants, missing the PPTA conference

There's a belief there's more that needs to be done to smooth immigration processes in New Zealand. 

The Government's revealed two new pathways for skilled migrants to secure Kiwi residency.  

One is for skilled work experience and another for trades and technicians. 

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking there's a lot more announcements to come, but they're often held up by IT changes. 

She says they're working on a start-up visa while more needs to be done in the RSE space, and there's a whole list of other things. 

Stanford’s also standing by her decision to miss the PPTA's annual conference in Christchurch. 

The Education Minister had been scheduled to speak to the secondary teachers union yesterday for months but abruptly cancelled due to an 'unavoidable clash.' 

She told Hosking it was because the Prime Minister's office gave her a date for yesterday's skilled workers' announcement in Auckland. 

She says authorities also advised her it wasn't the best time to give a speech due to the ongoing pay bargaining. 

Stanford adds she is frequently meeting with the PPTA, and this is the first conference she's had to miss. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.