New Zealand Clamps Down on Work Visas to Stem ‘Unsustainable’ Tide of Immigrants

Almost 173,000 immigrants came to the country last year, an number the government says is unsustainable and is putting pressure on infrastructure.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (R) is joined by Immigration Minister Erica Stanford (C) as National announces policy aiming to boost the tech sector at Future House in Parnell in Auckland, New Zealand, on Sept. 15, 2023. Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

The New Zealand government has announced immediate changes to the Accredited Employer Worker Visa (AEWV) scheme after the country welcomed 173,000 non-citizens in 2023, a near record.

The Coalition government believes these numbers are unsustainable, particularly given that the country is still struggling with a housing shortage.