From Migrants Workers Association

A heartfelt appeal has been made by migrant workers in New Zealand trapped by the Covid-19 crisis. They need urgent help as well as a pathway to residency for some.

In an open letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern the migrants explain how they are often unable to return home, and if they have lost jobs are unable to access welfare support. The letter says:

“Many of us are Essential Workers. So whilst you have asked the country to stay home, many of us are required to work long and hard. We are placing ourselves and our families at risk from this deadly virus. During this crisis we still work in the supermarkets, we deliver the food to these stores, we grow and pick the food, we care for the at risk elderly in retirement homes, and we drive the trucks and the buses that have kept the country running.

“We are essential, and we do the work because we love this country. We love the people and want to contribute to making New Zealand the best country on earth.”

But, the policy changes brought in by the previous government do not recognise these jobs as “essential”. They are not paid enough so we are unable to be considered for permanent residency. After three years many of us are forced to leave.

The letter explains:

“Many of us came to New Zealand as international students. We chose New Zealand because the schools hired education agents who promoted the idea that studying here was a pathway to residency. Both Education New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand said that study here was a pathway to residency. After uprooting our lives and investing our money and committing to work hard for a new future , the current government now tells us that this was a lie.”

Many “essential” workers have lived and worked in New Zealand for up to a decade and have partners and children.

The letter asks the Labour-led government to “Give us a genuine pathway to residency. If we have been working, paying our taxes, and obeying the laws of the country, please allow us to stay permanently with our partners and children.”

The letter also explains that this could be done at the same time as restricting new visas being issued if necessary. “We are not asking you to allow new people to come here because New Zealanders now need jobs. But those of us who are already working are needed to keep the businesses running. We have the experience, the skills and knowledge. Let us help rebuild New Zealand. We can train other New Zealanders now looking for work.”

This could be done in a streamlined way. Immigration New Zealand can consider a test for permanent residence as existing migrants “simply keeping our job, with a good employer. This “will reduce massively the workloads that Immigration New Zealand have with Resident and Work Visa processing.”

“By providing a pathway to residency we will have some certainty and the security to transfer our resources from our home countries and invest them here.” We love this country. But for us to help and contribute to a successful future, the government needs to create a fair and certain residency pathway.

From Union Network of Migrants

Ministers, Please grant the Emergency Benefit to help our Migrant workers amidst COVID-19

Hon Carmel Sepuloni, Minister of Social Development

Hon Iain Lees-Galloway, Minister of Employment Relations

All communities are vulnerable during this pandemic — but some more than others. In such times it is inevitable that vulnerable migrant workers, will experience the most significant job losses and have the most limited financial means to weather the storm.

We ask that the government urgently extend welfare benefits to migrant workers during this time of Covid-19 crisis.

Migrant workers are a core part of the New Zealand workforce. Many have built their careers here and paid taxes for years, so it is only fair that the Government support them in their time of need.

We respectfully request that the government urgently reconsiders the criteria for access to benefit entitlement to allow migrants access to benefits during the period of the Covid-19 crisis.

We ask that the government allows migrant workers on work visas access to benefits they would be entitled to but for the current residential criteria for at least 6 months.

We also ask that the Minister immediately extend access to emergency benefits for migrant workers on temporary work visas under s64 of the Social Security Act 2018.

Petition started on behalf of Union Network of Migrants(UNEMIG) and through partner organisations, Migrante Aotearoa New Zealand and Indian Workers’ Association (IWA) .

To sign the petition kindly visit www.change.org/p/sign-the-petition-for-nzgovt-to-grant-the-emergency-benefit-for-migrants-amidst-covid-19

From Council of Trade Unions

CTU calls for emergency benefit access for temporary workers

The Council of Trade Unions wants people on temporary working visas who have lost their job to have access to emergency benefits.

Its economist Andrea Black said the government had the power to provide emergency benefits for immigrants who have been made redundant, by activating the provisions in existing legislation.

“The legislative framework for caring for these people already exists. We call on the government to enable this to happen,” Black said.

She says there are a significant number of people on temporary working visas who are unable to leave the country.

“Kindness needs to extend to those people who have come to New Zealand from other countries to provide services to New Zealand businesses and now, through no fault of their own, due to the Covid-19 global pandemic, are unable to work and unable to return home.”

Last month the government eased visa rules to allow businesses to make greater use of immigrant labour during alert levels 3 and 4, with the ability to extend the changes up to six weeks after the country moves to alert level 2. (– from RNZ)