By Amandeep Sehmi

Hamilton (New Zealand), Aug 20 (IANS):  Making it tougher for migrant workers to come to New Zealand, a new policy called Supplementary Seasonal Employment (SSE) has been put in place by the immigration authorities here.

The new policy, which replaces the Transitioning to Recognized Seasonal Employer (TRSE) policy, has become effective from July 27, according to official information made available by Immigration New Zealand (INZ).

Under the SSE policy, migrants coming to work on a seasonal employment scheme can no longer support applications by their partners and children to also come to New Zealand, a country which has an Indian diaspora of around 60,000 people.

The SSE course of action permits employers in the horticulture and viticulture industries to employ onshore non-New Zealand citizens or resident workers when labour demand exceeds the number of on hand New Zealand workers.

According to SSE policy, employers will submit an application for SSE endorsement in principle to employ migrant workers who can fill a certain number of positions.

"SSE approvals in principle will only be approved where INZ, in consultation with the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), establishes that there are insufficient New Zealanders to fill those positions.

"At the same time, employers must have good employment practices and convince INZ that they have been (recruiting), and will continue to actively recruit, New Zealand workers," added SSE policy.

It said work permit applications would only be approved where the applicant has not held an SSE or TRSE work permit previously and has not held any type of work permit since their most recent entry to New Zealand.

However, the amendment has eased some requirements for those immigrants who are already in New Zealand and have lost their jobs.

If a migrant worker loses his or her job during the probationary 90-day period, they get a further three-month visitors' permit and the children of that person will be allowed to continue their schooling.