Immigrants uncertain about their future due to residency eligibility

Wednesday, 10 November 2021

International students and workers are fearful they may have to leave New Zealand because they can’t see a way to gain residency.

Palmerston North woman and Massey University PhD student Lily Jia, who is from China but has lived in New Zealand for 10 years, is part of a group of more than 900 students who signed a petition asking immigration minister Kris Faafoi to include PhD students in the group fast tracked for residency.

Faafoi in September announced the Government would fast track thousands of migrants on temporary work visas to residency, but only if they met one of six criteria, including earning median wage, have lived in New Zealand for three or more years, or work in a certain sector.

Now many other students have also shared their story with Stuff about how they have been unable to get the visa and are concerned for their future.

**READ MORE:

* Migrants helping govt investigation upset they're ineligible for fast-tracked residency

* Migrants 'will leave NZ' if residency pathway for parents remains closed

* 'No clear pathway' for international student to get NZ residency

**

Henry Han is from Shenyang in northeast China and is studying biomedical engineering at the University of Auckland, but he and his wife, a graphic designer, were ineligible for the visa.

The couple, who have a 3-year-old daughter, came to New Zealand in 2018.

They were trying to secure more expression of interest points in the skilled migrant category and working and studying hard.

His wife was offered an essential skills work visa earlier this year to replace her partner of a student work visa, but they declined the offer because the student work visa did not have limitations on who they worked for.

“We are really heartbroken and disappointed. The whole thing is like that we are getting punished for trying to improve our [expression of interest] points.”

He said he may have to leave New Zealand after he graduates in January if the situation didn’t change, even though his PhD was funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand.

“I believe many other [PhD students] will do the same, as we feel that we are not needed by New Zealand. I think this might be a massive loss for the country.”

They felt they met the criteria of being in New Zealand, being workers and having a long-term connection, but were confused about being excluded.

A statement from Faafoi’s office last month said the Government would not consider widening the eligibility criteria.

This week a spokesman for Faafoi told Stuff there hadn’t been any change since then and there was no change to the policy, although the minister reiterated the one-off visa was not an end to residency visas.

“People who are not eligible for the 2021 resident visa will still be able to explore what residence pathway options may be available to them in the future.”

Spanish man Chuong Andrew Pham and his wife, a PhD student, came to New Zealand in 2018. He has a student partnership visa, which meant he was not eligible for the one-off visa.

He works as a Foodstuffs manager and felt forgotten about, even though they had contributed to the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brazilian Natanael Fernandes has lived in New Zealand since 2018 and is studying a post graduate in information technology at Whitireia polytechnic. He worked in a restaurant and is now a tutor.

He said he hasn’t been able to plan for the future without a residency pathway and there was no certainty for the people left behind.

He believed the one-off residency was created to fill labour shortages and stop migrants going to other cities.

“If immigration New Zealand wants to make up a policy to show gratitude to migrants for helping during the pandemic, they should include everyone who has a valid visa, and also people stuck overseas, as they have no blame for this whole situation.”

Dongxu Zhang came from China in 2017, is studying healthcare in Hamilton. He said he had no idea what to do next without the one-off visa and if he couldn’t get one long term he would try Australia.

He said there was a community of more than 2000 people with the same problem.