The Indian Weekender, Friday 6 November 2020

14 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, November 6, 2020
The Indian Weekender
Hopes pinned on Labour’s manifesto
leading to significant immigration changes
RADIO NEW ZEALAND
Migrant groups are looking ahead to what changes the
new Labour government will make to border and visa
rules.
Labour’s manifesto signalled an overhaul of partnership
visas, reducing barriers to the parent category and reviewing
Pacific immigration. It said it would set aside one in 10 managed
isolation places for overseas workers.
Kris Faafoi, who took over as Immigration Minister from
Iain Lees-Galloway before the election, retained the portfolio in
yesterday’s Cabinet announcements. Phil Twyford takes over as
Associate Minister of Immigration.
Having ruled out a coalition with the Green Party, and with
New Zealand First not returning to Parliament, the government’s
plans on immigration - as outlined in its manifesto - set out key
policy changes.
“Labour will open up our settings to get more people into the
country, while maintaining robust controls at the border,” it said.
“Labour will review immigration criteria to enable a broader
range of workers to enter New Zealand [and] establish a new
Investment Attraction Strategy to encourage targeted and highvalue
international investment into New Zealand.
“Labour will reduce barriers to access the parent category
visa, including reconsidering the current provisions once the
international flow of people across the border settles, and
reducing the income thresholds.”
It said it would ensure partnership visa rules were “up-to-date,
culturally appropriate, and represent international best practice”.
Immigration settings would also be updated and the
government would explore implementing modern slavery
legislation to eliminate exploitation in supply chains.
It would consider climate-related migration policies among
its plans to ensure that immigration policies worked in the “in
the best interests of New Zealand, Pacific migrants and Pacific
Island nations”.
NZ Immigrants Association volunteer community
advocate Marie Lindaya welcomed further work on
migrant exploitation, as she still heard of employers
feeding on workers’ desperation to find work,
giving them low pay and poor working hours.
"Labour will
reduce barriers
to access the parent
category visa, including
reconsidering the current
provisions once the
international flow of people
across the border settles,
and reducing the income
thresholds
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Government plans to better match the needs of
employers in different regions with the talents and
aspirations of immigrants sounded good in theory,
she added.
“This is great but the proof is in the pudding,”
she said. “I would like to see some community road
show kōrero and consultations with ethnic migrants
and former refugees on this. Talk to us about us is
our mantra.”
Work on refugee family reunification and
settlement needed to happen faster, she said.
“Three to five years’ wait is too long and some
family members back home, especially elderly
parents, may die waiting. But again and again this
has been echoed to MBIE every year when they
meet regionally with former refugees. I’ve attended
some of these meetings. A simpler, easier process
and English language needs to be used as well and
less technical, legal jargon.”
Migrant Workers Association president Anu
Kaloti said government’s first priorities should be
easing some border restrictions.
“The priority would be the people who have been
stuck offshore for the last eight months,” she said.
“They need to be looked after straight away. And
then the partners, families, couples who need to
be reunited, that’s another emergency. And then,
people who have been on a pathway to residence
for 5+ years, they need immediate relief in some
form or another.
“We’re okay if they want to stop new people
coming in, all we’re asking is the ones who are
already here, they need to be well looked after.
We’ve got many families who have been here 10
years easily and they have children who were born
here. Their children go to school here, they don’t
know anywhere else as home.”
Many had come as international students when
tertiary education was being promoted as a pathway
to residence, she said.
She also called for work visas to be opened up
while the borders are closed, so foreign workers
who are already here could fill labour gaps in dairy
farms and orchards.
Immigrants were more likely to be willing to
work in the regions, she added, as they often did not
have the family networks that stopped many New
Zealanders from moving for work.