More support for franchising
Franchising businesses can now apply to bring in workers from overseas through the standard, high-volume, or triangular employment accreditation.
More than 32,000 franchisees are set to benefit from the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) accreditation programme for hiring migrant workers, after the Government disestablished the franchisee accreditation category. Advantages of the move include substantial cost savings in application fees and enhanced efficiency with a streamlined two-year renewal cycle.
“Franchise businesses can now provide long-term job security to employees under an AEWV, ensuring stability and peace of mind as jobs will no longer be at risk during business transfers.
New franchise purchasers can seamlessly apply for accreditation without a one year stand down period,” says Franchise Association of New Zealand (FANZ) CEO Robyn Pickerill.
“Franchising plays a vital role in empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds to own businesses across all regions of New Zealand.
“These businesses not only create local employment opportunities, they also actively contribute to their communities through sponsorships and fundraising initiatives,” she adds.
Affirming FANZ’s unwavering support to eradicate migrant exploitation, Robyn says FANZ provides many opportunities for education and sharing of resources, promoting the importance of compliance with New Zealand employment law and supporting a positive working experience for all employees in the franchise sector, and will continue to do so.
Chair Brad Jacobs and Director of The Coffee Club adds that franchisees can now operate their business on a fair playing field while providing even better employment security for their team members. “I believe all franchisees will be very thankful for these changes.”
The franchising sector contributes 12% of New Zealand’s GDP with a collective annual turnover of $36.8 billion, supporting more than 156,000 jobs, 590 franchise brands and 32,000+ franchisee operators.
