Relevance:The list has relevance to all TEOs as it both indicates areas where there is a shortage of domestic graduates, and opportunities for international student graduates. Occupations covered include architecture, construction management, equine, florists, ICT, automotive, scaffolding, marine and forestry.

Key Facts

• The DOL has reviewed the Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL) and the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL). The skill shortage lists make it easier to recruit from overseas, but one-off cases can still be made by employers. Both lists are linked to work permits, but the long term list directly links to residence policy as well as giving bonus points for a Skilled Migrant (a category that an international student graduate may use).
• The DOL reviews the lists twice a year and their process is described here. Basically, industries have to make a case.
• While the DOL has made the main changes, Immigration NZ’s Operations Manual is the key document and its amendments go into more detail, including some changes to qualification requiremeents for chefs, paramedics, auditors, project managers, conductors (ie conductive education), diesel mechanics and speech therapists.
• All changes take effect 8 September 2010.
• 13 occupations to be removed from the ISSL
  • Architectural Designer; Architectural Draughtsperson (Civil CAD Designer); Architectural Draughtsperson
  • Graphic Artist
  • Fire Alarm Technician
  • Florist (Senior)
  • Gas Fitter
  • Vehicle Body Builder (Bus or Coach only)
  • Horse Trainer (Stallion Master); Horse Trainer (Stud Groom); Jockey; Trackwork Rider
  • Telecommunications Technician
• 2 occupations to be added to the ISSL
  • Automotive Technician (Motor Mechanic)
  • Scaffolder (Advanced)
• 4 occupations to be moved from the ISSL to the LTSSL
  • Conductor (Conductive Education Practitioner)
  • Construction Project Manager (Chip sealing, Asphalt or other Technical Manager) (Roading and Infrastructure); Construction Project Manager (Roading and Infrastructure)
  • Ship’s Engineer
• 4 occupations to be removed from the ISSL as covered by the LTSSL
  • Marine Designer
  • Systems Analyst; Software Engineer; ICT Support and Test Engineer
• 1 occupation to be removed from the LTSSL
  • Architect
• 3 occupations to be added to the LTSSL:
  • Ship’s Officer; Ship’s Master
  • Forest Scientist

Our Take

• There isn’t really a lot to say about this, as each change will have reflected considerable lobbying by industries and analysis by officials which we do not have, and the interpretation of each change is best left to industry experts in TEOs.
• One of the key changes is that there is a big reduction in the ISSL, presumably reflecting higher unemployment in NZ, but there is a slight increase in the LTSSL occupations (although the likely numbers needed in each occupation are not provided to allow a weighting of the changes).

Relevance: Low relevance to most. Medium relevance to those in nursing.

The Facts

• The Education and Science Committee met last week to consider the VSM Bill and hear submissions on the Education Amendment Bill (No 2). They won’t meet again until next week.
• Oral Questions None relevant.
• Written Questions (answers in brackets).
• Kelvin Davis (Labour) asked whether the Minister had a plan to raise Maori tertiary achievement (awaiting reply).
• Annette King (Labour) asked how many students were enrolled in ITPs (12,067 at 30/4/10), govt-subsidised ACE courses (not collected quarterly), industry training programmes (10,489 at 31/3/10, including MAs) or modern apprenticeships (943 as at 31/3/10)in Wellington in the last quarter?
• Grant Robertson (Labour) has asked a new set of questions (all awaiting reply).
  • How many Modern Apprenticeship enrolments were there in the Mana electorate in 2008, 2009 and 2010?
  • How many Modern Apprenticeship enrolments were there in the Porirua electorate in 2008, 2009 and 2010?
  • How many Modern Apprenticeship enrolments were there in the Wellington region electorate in 2010?
  • How many Training Opportunities programmes are currently funded in Mana  and how many people have been funded in 2010, 2009 and 2008?
  • How many Training Opportunities programmes are currently funded in the Porirua District and how many people have been funded in 2010, 2009 and 2008.
  • How many Training Opportunities programmes are currently funded in Wellington and how many people have been funded in 2010, 2009 and 2008?
• Gazette 
  • We reported last week on changes by the Nursing Council to qualifications requirements for overseas nurses. They have now republished that material, along with some extra changes affecting all nurses. The Nursing Council has updated the scope of practice for registered nurses. Some additions include replacing directing “Enrolled Nurses and Nurse Assistants” with “enrolled nurses, healthcare assistants and others”. A new sentence has also been added as follows: “Registered nurses are accountable for ensuring all health services they provide are consistent with their education and assessed competence, meet legislative requirements and are supported by appropriate standards.”

Our Take

• Last week, we mentioned that Heather Roy might take Sir Roger Douglas’s seat on the Education and Science Ctte, but couldn’t source it. It was Sir Roger Douglas on Radio NZ and since then it has been confirmed that she will take the seat and take over the VSM Bill (which was originally hers).
• Grant Robertson seems to be asking questions to gear up for the upcoming by-election in Mana (caused by sitting Labour MP Winnie Laban getting a job at Victoria University.
• The main Nursing Council change seems designed to support standards enforcement down the track.

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