38109 (2024). Ingrid Leary to the Associate Minister of Health

38109 (2024). Ingrid Leary to the Associate Minister of Health: Does she agree with the suggestion in the Sapere report A Review of Aged Care Funding and Service Models (January 2024) that the Australian visa changes for aged care support workers, offering a pathway to residency, has added to aged residential care's workforce issues, and if so, will she support a similar visa pathway for migrant aged care workers in New Zealand?

Hon Casey Costello: I believe the Member has mischaracterised the report’s commentary on the Australian visa changes. For context, the report states: “A main concern expressed by our stakeholders was being able to compete with Australia who have now implemented legislative change granting experienced aged care workers a pathway to residency.” It then goes on to state: “Although in April 2023 nurses were added to Immigration New Zealand’s green list, which provides faster pathways for residency.”