http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11834706
Now that the Herald has our attention, we read further and the article actually quotes Te Atatu MP, Phil Twyford, [who] said the party was still working on the policy, which was not about slashing immigration but would probably have a number on it to find a better balance.
While Michael Woodhouse, Minister of Immigration comments: I don’t think any dramatic change to immigration settings is appropriate. It is election year and immigration raises its ugly political head again.
Our politicians are caught between a growing concern amongst voters, that what some see as excessive migration, is compromising who we are as a nation; with the knowledge that migration means money, especially at a time of global recession.
Cutting immigration is easy to say, but losing the economic stimulus of high migration will make it hard to do.
So where could the cuts be made?
• New Zealand citizens returning from overseas?
• Australians who receive full residence rights on arrival?
• Skilled migrants filling jobs which employers are unable to fill from within NZ?
• Students who expect to complete their qualifications and move through to residence? The international student market was worth $4.28 Bn in 2015-16. https://enz.govt.nz/news-and-research/research/the-economic-impact-of-international-education-201516/
Some of that nearly $5Bn subsidises NZ children into tertiary education, which allows government to cut back on the Education Grant.
• Parents of new New Zealanders? – that category has been under a low cap in numbers for years and is currently on hold for 2 years.
• Refugees – after considerable public pressure, government increased our intake of refugees from 750 to 1000. Not a big contribution to the 71,333 long term migrants arriving in NZ in the last year.
The question is further complicated by the economic stimulus migrants bring to NZ with the average contribution of migrants being higher than that of the average NZer.
Reduce the numbers and reduce the stimulus which has helped NZ through an extended global recession.
It is only a few years since the numbers of incoming migrants didn’t even replace those leaving NZ for work or on their OEs. The high numbers of Kiwis leaving NZ started to reduce with the GFC in 2007-2008 and escalated with the mining downturn in Australia in the early-mid 2010’s http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/mining/12142813/Australias-mining-boom-turns-to-dust-as-commodity-prices-collapse.html
What is going to happen to our migrant numbers when the Australian economy picks up again?
What effects will Brexit and Trumpit have on migration to NZ?
What impact has the economic changes had on new migrants?
As practitioners, we have noted over the last two years, a considerable hardening of attitude by INZ towards overstayers, students struggling to find skilled employment and workers seeking new work visas.
I suspect that as large numbers of Kiwis have returned to NZ and Australians decided that for now, perhaps NZ is ‘The Lucky Country’, considerable political pressure has been applied to Immigration NZ to not grant visas to anyone who could be seen as filling a position which could be done by someone who would otherwise qualify for the dole.
As a result, INZ appears reluctant to grant discretion to someone who may have applied for a work visa under the wrong section of Immigration Instructions.
For example, we have had several people come to us, who have struck a problem with their visa application because their employers did not think to provide all the documentation necessary, or because they submitted their applications under the wrong section of Immigration Instructions.
Where they have come to us before their visas have been declined, we have usually been able to negotiate with INZ for time to correct their problems and achieve their work visas.
Unfortunately some only seek advice after their visa applications have been declined, by which time, it their visas have expired, they are illegally in NZ and their chance of avoiding self-deportation are considerably reduced.
Long Term impact of a declined visa application
If a person leaves NZ after having a visa application declined, whenever they apply for a visa to any country in the future, they will have to admit a declined visa which will make it considerably more difficult to get a visa to any country.
People generally do not realise the long term implications of making a mistake in a visa application. Yes it costs money for professional advice, but it will cost an enormous lot more for the applicant, family and employers, if they do not get the application right and the person is required to leave NZ as an overstayer.
The immigration specialists at Laurent Law have been working to assist employers and applicants to achieve immigration success for over 20 years. That experience and success has taught us that there is often another way of achieving the success our clients strive for.
We respect INZ and the decisions they have to make, and we believe that we are respected by INZ and the immigration profession in NZ.
For experienced immigration advice, preferably before your application is declined; contact us:
Tel 09 630 0411
[email protected]
408 Mt Eden Road [opp. Valley Road], Auckland 1024