The National Government has just expanded our FamilyBoost scheme – providing ECE rebates to tens of thousands more families.
Families with young children can now claim a rebate of up to 40% of ECE costs, this is up from 25% previously.
If your household has weekly ECE fees of $200, our changes now mean that your payment could increase from $50 to $80 a week, or $2600 to $4160 a year.
We know that FamilyBoost is helping families manage the costs of raising young ones, which is why we want more households to be able to enjoy our scheme.
If you think you might be eligible then please apply through IRD’s website.
You might have seen us talking a lot about infrastructure recently, with $7 billion worth of infrastructure projects kicking off before Christmas.
These are all projects started by the Government, and include new roads, hospitals, schools and courts.
This is just the start – our infrastructure pipeline shows that there are $237.1 billion worth of planned projects in New Zealand across central government, local government and the private sector.
Projects like these create jobs, increase wages and grow the economy making you your family better off.
We’ve also just announced that we are introducing two new skilled migrant residence pathways to help Kiwi businesses attract and retain the workers they need to grow their businesses and help boost our economy.
These pathways will help address workforce gaps while carefully balancing the need to attract higher-skilled workers, managing migration responsibly, and ensuring New Zealanders remain prioritised for jobs.
We’ve heard from businesses that it’s been too hard for some migrants to gain residence, even when they have crucial skills and experience that aren’t available in the local workforce. We’re fixing that.
The Skilled Work Experience pathway lets employers retain proven workers who are already adding value, while the Trades and Technician pathway recognises practical skills in industries where sub-degree qualifications are highly valued.
We’re also reducing the time New Zealand graduates need to work before gaining residence, encouraging them to stay and continue contributing to our economy.
To ensure these pathways target genuinely skilled migrants, additional eligibility restrictions will apply to some occupations. Certain roles will be placed on a Red List and excluded from gaining residence through the pathways, while others will be on an Amber List and subject to additional requirements.
These changes will help businesses grow, fill skill shortages, boost economic growth, and strengthen New Zealand’s workforce for the future.
Economic growth is great for everyday New Zealanders. More and higher paying jobs help keep local businesses open and allow Government to invest in the public services you rely on.
We’re working hard to deliver economic growth, by backing our farmers and growers, promoting tourism, investing in infrastructure, and making New Zealand an outstanding place to do business.
After faster than projected growth during the start of this year, our economy was hit by tariffs and rising uncertainties.
As we near are nearing the end of quarter three, the economic indicators say that the economy is growing again.
However, we aren’t taking this by chance. We are pulling every lever and working as hard as we can to grow this economy, so that we can help you and your family get ahead. -by Hon Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand