Immigration Minister Michael Wood said on Sunday that New Zealand will make temporary adjustments to its immigration regulations in order to recruit thousands of extra workers to fill a labour shortfall.

Wood stated that the government intends to temporarily double the number of people granted working vacation visas.

The visa process permits people to come and work in New Zealand for up to 12 months, or even longer if they are from certain countries such as the United Kingdom or Canada.

By increasing the number of working holiday visa slots available, New Zealand hopes to attract 12,000 more employees this year.