The Labour Party is promising it would make it a priority to give New Zealanders the first opportunity to work on the rebuilding of Christchurch.
Labour leader David Shearer says his party's policy requires businesses to prove they sought workers through Work and Income and industry training organisations before being allowed to bring in people from overseas.
In notes prepared for a speech at the Hornby Working Men's Club Mr Shearer says Immigration New Zealand should have to consider the competitive impacts, particularly on wages and conditions, before giving approval to overseas workers.
He says Labour would also require companies that secured significant government contracts to hire one apprentice for every $1 million invested.
Mr Shearer also focused on youth employment, saying he'd rather get young people off the dole and into apprenticeships - something that could easily be done for no cost if their dole payment was given to employers as a job subsidy.
