Keiller MacDuff 13:54, Jul 07 2021 Stuff Timaru Herald

Some South Canterbury companies are scrambling for staff and finding expertise from all over the world. From left: automation engineer Ben Pechard (originally from France, now based in Auckland), Waimate-based electricians Shane Gregoran, (originally from Croatia) and Dali Jordanovski (originally from Macedonia).

A Waimate-based businessman who has just completed a two-million dollar feed mill, believes his project underscores the need for concessions on immigration for certain sectors.

Aoraki Stockfoods owner Ken Buckingham's long awaited new feed mill is finally in the commissioning and optimising stages after several years of construction and fit-out.

During that time, all sorts of people had worked on it including many who hailed from overseas, Buckingham said.

He said he was surprised to discover recently he had four sub-contractors from different corners of the world on site at once.

An already tight labour market, with very low unemployment, has been exacerbated by closed borders due to Covid-19.

The country just experienced the largest drop in net migration ever, according to Statistics New Zealand.

Figures released earlier this year show net migration provisionally estimated at 6,600 in the year ended March 2021 compared with 91,900 in the year ended March 2020, a drop of 85,400.

Read more: Major construction project in Waimate highlights importance of skilled migrants