Top tips for employers - compliance and retention

Your HR team multi-task across numerous disciplines when it comes to recruitment and retaining staff. There is even more work for HR to juggle when it comes to your migrant workforce.

Our tips to employers are:

• Set reminders at least 4 months before work visa expiry dates. Take action to start the visa renewal process early.

• Ditto with the expiry date of your employer accreditation.

• Keep Employment Agreements up to date with any changes in employment law.

• Check key recruitment decision-makers and migrant workers have completed compulsory Employment NZ modules and are keeping records.

• Make sure pay and leave records are up to date. Labour Inspectors and Immigration Officers can demand to see these records at short notice.

• Take specialist advice before employment problems reach the Employment Relations Authority or Employment Court.

• Consider setting up a separate fund for return airfares if undertakings were given to repatriate migrant workers at the end of their employment. It helps avoid unexpected calls on cash flow when workers depart NZ.  

• Extend your settlement support past the minimum required of Immigration NZ. This may include providing comprehensive relocation services or be as simple as providing a work buddy for new migrant workers. This helps new staff to settle in quicker and improve retention.

• If your business is audited by Immigration NZ talk to your immigration professional ASAP.

• Join employer support networks such as the EMA, trade associations and relevant professional groups for access to a range of specialists to help support your HR team and workforce.

• When it comes to anything immigration think of compliance at the same level as health and safety and employment law.

• Consider outsourcing immigration work to a licensed immigration adviser to free up resource.

For more top tips contact our specialist employer team here.