One chef recruited had a decade of industry experience, including three years at culinary school but had his application declined this week. Photo / 123rf
One chef recruited had a decade of industry experience, including three years at culinary school but had his application declined this week. Photo / 123rf
It seems unlikely even Gordon Ramsay would meet the criteria to work as a chef in New Zealand under Immigration NZ's (INZ) new accredited employer work visa.
If Queenstown celebrity chef Nadia Lim were living overseas and looking to fill a much-needed position as a chef here, she, too, would likely be declined.
It is a situation one resort employer has labeled "insanity".
Last week, it was reported Queenstown hospitality operators were at breaking point because of staffing shortages, including a lack of chefs, with restaurants and cafes forced to close a couple of days a week.
Responding to criticism of the Government's new visa system on Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was interested in hearing about the "personal experiences because this was designed to be simpler and easier".
"The thousands of job checks we're having completed and coming through suggest to me that where there are issues, they are being ironed out because we're starting to see those come through."
Ardern said she had seen "100 cooks" coming through that system — cooks, however, did not have to meet the required New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) level 4 standard INZ was demanding before the department would approve chefs' visas.
Tourists are returning to Queenstown but the hospitality sector is struggling to cope with staff shortages. Photo / James Allan, File
One Queenstown employer, who declined to be named, was crying foul after a chef they were looking to hire — who had a decade of industry experience, including three years at culinary school — had his application declined this week.
The overseas chef has worked in internationally renowned hotels for the past seven years.
After graduating from culinary school, he started in the industry as a cook, and had since taken on three commis chef roles, been a demi chef de partie and, since 2020, been chef de partie at two overseas hotels.
The employer argued that was at least the equivalent of the NZ certificate in cookery level 4.
The year-long, full-time course was designed for "aspiring chefs", promotional material states, and included health and safety, communications and standard operating procedures standards units, as well as applying "fundamental cookery skills in a commercial kitchen".
But after the business applied to NZQA for an international qualifications assessment, to measure the chef's qualifications and experience against the NZ unit standard, the chef was assessed as "certificate at level 3", meaning he doesn't qualify for entry as a chef.
INZ subsequently advised the employer on Tuesday the application had been rejected.
Hospitality NZ regional manager Darelle Jenkins says solutions are being worked on. Photo / Tracey Roxburgh, File
INZ also considered if any special circumstances warranted an exception, but could not "find any reason" to give one, the letter said.
There was "no right of appeal or reconsideration".
The Queenstown employer said the decision defied belief.
"This guy's worked for eight and a half years in kitchens, at a chef de partie level, at international hotel chains, and he's not allowed in.
"Forget about any kind of qualifications, that is insanity."
While frustrated, the employer says their overriding concern is for the future of the food and beverage industry which, unless immigration settings were dealt with, would be "wiped out" in the next couple of years.
The employer contended the government wanted to fill kitchen roles with working holiday visa-holders — who were only in the country for about six months.
"That means there's no chance to develop these people ... how does [Ardern] expect to get expertise in the kitchen if we don't have people we can keep and train to a higher level?
"You're going to hire a $1 million Gordon Ramsay at the top, but he's going to have a whole bunch of kids that are chopping carrots today because they want to go skiing tonight.
"This is a trained skill that you need time [to develop]."
Hospitality NZ regional manager Darelle Jenkins said the organisation was engaging with Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and INZ to relay the issues its members were encountering and offering pragmatic solutions, including offering work experience as an alternative to the qualification requirement, like other job roles.
