Jobs help cyclone-hit islands

Vanuatu RSE Workers Graham Nawia (left) and Wilson Loyalty are thinning apple trees as Bostock New Zealand heads into another season. Photo / Supplied

Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers have arrived back in Hawke's Bay as the industry faces a challenge of increasing fruit and limited local labour.

More than 200 have arrived at Bostock New Zealand from the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Indonesia. They are thinning trees, weeding and preparing for the apple harvest which starts in February.

The RSE scheme started in 2007, allowing approved employers to recruit workers from designated countries and has been credited with improving confidence in the fruit sector, which had difficulty in attracting labour for short periods of time.

Pipfruit New Zealand said there has been an 8 per cent increase in new plantings over the last three years and the growth in volume would continue.

Owner John Bostock said New Zealanders always came first for jobs.

"The key for us is getting New Zealanders into full time employment rather than just seasonal jobs and we are helping up-skill our seasonal staff to give them more opportunity," he said.

"We are challenged by a labour shortage in New Zealand because there are not enough Kiwi's available to meet the peak season demand, so it is great that we can bring in labour from other countries.

"The RSE scheme helps so many families throughout the Pacific Islands as the money earned here is put back into their communities.

"It also enables Bostock New Zealand to build a business that can create fulltime roles for Kiwis."

Vanuatu RSE Worker Graham Nawia is returning for his sixth season.

"My home was totally destroyed in Cyclone Pam so this gives me an opportunity to earn some good money to bring back to my wife and children in Vanuatu," he said.

"It has been very tough for a lot of families, so it will be good to invest money back into my community to help rebuild it."

It is Wilson Loyalty's first visit. His home was also destroyed by Cyclone Pam.

"I can give my family a better life and education by working in New Zealand," he said.

Mr Bostock said its returnee rate was up to 85 per cent.

Horticulture New Zealand national labour co-ordinator Jerf van Beek said it was awaiting an official announcement on total RSE numbers for the coming season but expected Hawke's Bay to receive an increase from last year's 3000.

Non RSE migrant workers, with temporary working visas, are also a feature of the apple industry but employers have been warned to be vigilant with paperwork after a Filipino migrant worker false-documentation scam, where Filipino dairy farms sold fake work experience documents for up to NZ$15,000.

Copeland Ashcroft Law specialist Charlie Arms-Harris said since the scam the nature of government compliance visits changed to be more proactive instead of reacting to complaints.

"Typically, labour inspectors and immigration officers work together, visiting farms and orchards in pairs," he said.

"They aren't necessarily giving any forewarning, and if they do, it may be a brief phone call a few days prior to the visit."