Matawhero Wines. Image courtesy New Zealand Winegrowers Inc

A Special Purpose Work Visa (SPWV) for seasonal workers has been announced by the New Zealand Government, which New Zealand Winegrowers said will provide confidence and certainty for wineries to access the experienced seasonal international workers they need for the 2025 grape and wine harvest.

“Each year our wineries need to lift the capacity of their workforce for a short period of time during harvest,” said New Zealand Winegrowers CEO Philip Gregan.

According to New Zealand Winegrowers, the country’s wine industry employs approximately 7,000 New Zealanders.

“Our first priority is to employ New Zealanders but there is always a gap which we need to fill from offshore,” said Gregan.  “Without these international staff we would not be able to manage the intake of all the grapes from more than 42,000 hectares of vineyards across New Zealand.”

New Zealand wine exports are in excess of NZ$2 billion (AU$1.8 billion) per annum, with wineries requiring additional staff each vintage to supplement permanent winemaking teams.

“This initiative will be warmly welcomed by wineries. The creation of the SPWV pathway recognises the importance of international workers filling short-term peak seasonal roles that are not intended to be permanent,” continued Gregan.

“We support the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) settings being recalibrated to balance the integrity of the immigration system, the opportunity of New Zealanders to gain work, and to enable employers to source the workers they need, when they need them.”

In 2023, 314 wine cellar hands approved under AEWV for vintage 2024.

“The previous AEWV settings did not deliver for the wine industry for these peak seasonal wine roles,” Gregan said.

“These changes will make a difference and are very welcome.”

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