The owner of an Auckland cafe says they're short-staffed and have to reduce their opening hours as staff prepare for New Zealand's new immigration rules.
Robert Heeps, co-owner of Olaf's, Artisan Bakery Cafe in Mount Eden Village (the other co-owner is Olaf) says a number of staff won't qualify for work visas under incoming changes to the skilled migrants visa, so they are leaving Auckland to try to gain visa bonus points and stay in New Zealand.
The Government will introduce changes to the skilled migrant category from August 14, but five of Olaf's cafe's staff have already left out of the twelve that are non-residents or non-citizens.
Mr Heeps says the cafe is struggling to replace the workers who have already left, and it's only going to get harder.
Because they're short-staffed Olaf's have now reduced their hours during the week. He says there aren't enough New Zealanders looking for work in the hospitality industry.
"We don't have twelve of our staff as immigrants because we want to, and we'd rather employ New Zealanders," he told Newshub.
"But Kiwis don't want to do that, it's not that we don't want to it's just that we can't get them."
The new rules include a restriction to the points-based skilled migrant visas to those who will earn more than $49,000 in New Zealand - an applicant learning below that threshold would not get any points.
In 2015 the Government changed the points system for the skilled migrant visa to provide an incentive for migrants working in the regions, meaning they could get 30 additional points for settling outside of Auckland if they stayed in employment for 12 months.
Those who apply for the skilled migrants visa before the policy change will be considered under the current rules.
Olaf's is looking to hire a new chef de partie but Mr Heeps says they've only had ten applicants, however before the immigration announcement they'd expect to get about 60.
He says immigrants are more likely than Kiwis to work in the hospitality industry with its long hours, and its requirements to work weekends and public holidays.
Mr Heeps says Olaf's pride themselves on their high standard of service - however it can't be maintained when there is not enough staff.
"Short of closing weekends and public holidays so Kiwis can work Monday to Friday" he said the cafe felt forced to reduce its opening hours.
Olaf's cafe used to open during these hours:
- Monday - Friday: 630am - 6:00pm
- Saturday & Sunday: 7:00am - 5:00pm
They've now restricted their hours during the week and close at 4:00pm. They're hoping to keep their weekend hours the same.
Mr Heeps says that the changes to immigration are "too rushed" and he doesn't believe that he's going to be able to replace the immigrants' jobs with jobs for Kiwis.
"This is just too rushed, Kiwis aren't going to come out of nowhere and say there's no immigrants I want to work in hospitality."
"People in the industry are going to be terribly short staffed."
Newshub.