500 Wairarapa work visas since 2010

On average, 102 people a year have visas approved for employment in Wairarapa. FILE PHOTO

More than 500 foreigners have had work visas approved in Wairarapa since July 2010.

On average, 102 people a year have visas approved for employment in Wairarapa while between three and 11 visas were declined annually, according to Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment data.

There were 112 visas granted last year - the highest number in five years.

Immigration policy allows overseas workers to fill jobs when no New Zealanders are available; when there are skill shortages; under temporary conditions, such as for a working holiday, or; if they're Chinese nationals, religious workers or members of other select groups. Certain occupations in areas such as engineering, health and social services, ICT, electronics and telecommunication, trades and transport are on long-term skill shortage lists.

Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stephanie Gundersen-Reid said overseas workers were really beneficial for Wairarapa. "They are earning money here, so they tend to spend it here, so it's good for our businesses. It's good also because a lot of these people have never been here before so they tend to look around the region."

Ms Gundersen-Reid expected a large portion of the visas were temporary.

"We have a lot of seasonal work with our vineyards and orchards. I know a few that just use locals, as they have for many years, but a lot of bigger vineyards use contracting companies who tend to bring in people. It would be quite difficult to just use locals."

Migrants also filled skill gaps.

"We have areas where we struggle to get people into skilled jobs," Ms Gundersen-Reid said.

"We're currently working with various organisations to work out exactly what those skill gaps are but, off the top of my head, it can be hard to get diesel mechanics, top-level engineers and environmental specialists. We're also always in need of good doctors."

Nationally, more than 860,000 people have had work visa applications approved since July 2010. In that time, 53,123 visa applications were declined.

Tour guides gained the most visas, followed by chefs and dairy cattle farmers. Cafe or restaurant managers, retail managers and retail supervisors were the next most common.

Occupations with only one visa approved included telephone betting clerk, postal sorting officer, mothercraft nurse, exercise physiologist and clay products machine operator.

Meanwhile, the only applicants to have their visas declined listed their occupations as "vending machine attendant" and "weighbridge operator".

Under the Immigration Act 2009, visas can be refused if an applicant has been sentenced to imprisonment, been previously deported from any country or involved in known criminal or terrorist groups.

Visas can also be declined if an application isn't complete, if an immigration officer believes information is not genuine, if the applicant's purpose is not genuine or if they do not intend to abide by the visa conditions.

Applicants who are not lawfully in New Zealand when they apply or who don't meet standards of "good health and good character" may also be declined.