Source: Radio New Zealand
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Greater Wellington Regional Council is urging the government to lower its English language requirements for visas to avoid a bus driver shortage.
In 2022, 59 Metlink weekday bus services were suspended due to a lack of drivers – significantly cutting back reliability on the Wellington region’s bus network.
According to the regional council recent changes to immigration policy which included higher English language requirements for visa extensions and residency applications were making it harder to retain bus drivers that started work during the shortage.
The council has written to the Minister of Transport and Immigration calling for a review of the settings and to maintain a pathway for overseas recruitment to the roles.
Regional council chair Daran Ponter. RNZ / Dom Thomas
Regional council chair Daran Ponter said sensible immigration settings were critical for maintaining reliable services.
“Public transport is the lifeblood of our region. If experienced drivers are forced to leave because of immigration settings, we risk service disruptions that will affect access to work, school, and university, and ultimately undermine the regional economy.”
The council said about 20 percent of public transport bus drivers nationally were on temporary visas, with 72 percent of those expiring next year.
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford told RNZ in October that transport operators should find New Zealand drivers to fill any gaps in the sector.
On Tuesday, Stanford said she did not plan to change the English-language testing standard for bus drivers seeking New Zealand residency.
“The IELTS English language test has been exactly the same for many, many, many, many, many years,” Stanford said. “It has not been changed.”
She said many bus drivers had visas lasting up to five years, giving them sufficient time to meet the requirement.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
