New Zealand’s immigration minister has rejected renewed calls to lower English-language requirements for migrant bus drivers, despite warnings that hundreds could be forced to leave just as the country faces another looming driver shortage.
As per The Post, Erica Stanford said the government had no plans to change the English standard for residency, insisting it was reasonable to expect migrants to be fluent.
Stanford’s comments come as bus drivers on temporary visas petitioned Parliament, arguing the current benchmark is unfair and was never clearly explained when they were recruited.
Stanford said the requirement had been in place for many years and that more than 400 drivers had already met it. “There’s plenty of time for them to improve their English,” she said.
“It’s what we expect from all migrants.”
The drivers, many of whom arrived in 2022 and 2023 to address acute workforce shortages, say they were promised a pathway to residency without being told they would need to meet what they describe as a postgraduate-level English test.
It is reported that some families sold businesses and relocated in the hope of building a long-term future in New Zealand.
Around 20 per cent of the bus driver workforce – about 1,000 drivers – is currently on temporary visas. To qualify for skilled residence, applicants must score at least 6.5 in International English Language Testing System or meet equivalent scores in other tests.
It is further reported that the threshold is higher than the English requirement for entry into undergraduate study at the University of Auckland.
An open letter from the Bus and Coach Association has urged the government to reduce the score to 5.5, warning the existing standard risks destabilising public transport services nationwide.
Opposition MPs and local leaders have accused the government of moving the goalposts. Labour’s immigration spokesperson Phil Twyford said it was unfair to recruit drivers during an “hour of need” and then subject them to what he called “ridiculously high” standards. He also criticised exemptions for wealthy migrants under investor visa categories, calling the policy inconsistent and discriminatory.
Drivers themselves say the test bears little resemblance to the language skills required on the job.
Edvin Vridush Prisad, recruited from Fiji, told The Post that he only learned about the test after arriving. “If we could do 6.5, we wouldn’t be driving buses,” he said. His wife, Ashnita Mala, sold her $30,000 hair salon to move to New Zealand. “If we had known about this requirement, no one would have come to struggle,” she said, raising concerns about their children being forced to leave after settling into school.
Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March told The Post employers, not immigration officials, should assess whether drivers can communicate effectively with passengers.
“Behind every bus driver is a family and a livelihood now at risk.”
Local authorities have also sounded the alarm. Greater Wellington Regional Council public transport committee chair Ros Connelly warned that losing drivers would lead to overcrowded buses and cancelled services, recalling previous disruptions when staff numbers fell.
In October 2025, RNZ reported that the Bus and Coach Association expected a nationwide shortage unless the language requirement was reviewed. Chief executive Delaney Myers said fears over failing English tests were already pushing drivers to consider returning home, with many visas expiring in 2026.
“Around 20 percent of our urban public transport driver workforce is here on a temporary work visa, and those visas are expiring in 2026.”
The issue is not limited to buses. Truck drivers have also raised concerns, saying they are required to demonstrate academic-level English despite minimal written communication in their roles. Several drivers told RNZ they had spent thousands of dollars on repeat tests, with fees exceeding $400 per attempt.
Stanford has dismissed claims of an impending crisis, arguing transport operators should prioritise recruiting locally. She pointed to rising numbers on the Jobseeker Work Ready benefit and said employers should work with Ministry of Social Development before turning to migrant labour.
Industry leaders counter that English proficiency is already assessed during hiring and that the residency test goes far beyond what is needed for safe, effective work. The Bus and Coach Association says it has raised the issue repeatedly with New Zealand Transport Agency and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, warning that services could again be at risk.
Auckland Transport previously declared an end to the city’s driver shortage in 2023 following international recruitment. Myers said withdrawing residency pathways now would be “cruel” to workers who helped stabilise the system. “They came to New Zealand to help keep services running,” she told RNZ.
“Taking that future away at this point sends the wrong message.”
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