21,000 temporary visa holders currently outside of NZ border
Immigration New Zealand has told the Indian Weekender that currently there are 21,000 temporary visa holders outside New Zealand border.
An official spokesperson of Immigration New Zealand said, “there are around 21,000 current temporary visa holders offshore.”
“Under Step 3, from 12 April 2022, current offshore temporary visa holders, who can still meet the relevant visa requirements, will be able to enter New Zealand and self-isolate. This includes current student visa holders,” the spokesperson said.
Immigration New Zealand was responding to the Indian Weekender’s query on how many temporary migrant workers and international students who were initially locked out of NZ borders in March 2020 could potentially return in the third stage of the government’s recently announced 5 stage border re-opening plan starting from the end of this month.
What does “who can still meet the relevant visa requirement” means?
The govt has announced that on April 13, 2022, the border will re-open for current offshore temporary visa holders, who can still meet the relevant visa requirements.
It is this “who can still meet the relevant visa requirement” part of the announcement that is causing much confusion and false hope among temporary migrant workers, including post-study work visa holders stuck overseas.
Notably, for most of the temporary migrant workers who were first locked out of NZ borders in March 2020, their visas would have expired in the two-year period.
Apparently, a miniscule category of such temporary migrant workers whose visas had survived for this two-year lock-out period, they still need to have valid employment with the same employers – which is an exceptionally tall order, given that most of the employers would have moved on and found a replacement after getting no indication from the government that it had any intentions to let those workers back into the country.
As late as on January 19, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi has told the Indian Weekender that there was no plan to extend or revive the expired visas of temporary migrant workers stuck overseas.
Last, but not the least, even if there are a small number of such temporary migrant workers still having a couple of months left on their existing work visas, then by April 2022 (they would have lost another valuable 2 months of visa tenure) they might have one or two months left on their visas, which might prompt immigration officials at the border to not allow their entry into the country.
Notably, under current immigration laws, an immigration officer at the borders has to be convinced that the person seeking entry into the country has a valid reason and a valid visa to enter in NZ, and with only 1-2 months of valid time left on their visas could not be enough to convince IO’s to allow their entry into the country.
Only 800 current international students outside NZ borders
Additionally, border will also be open for up to 5000 international students for semester two.
The Indian Weekender had already clarified with the Immigration New Zealand if this will largely comprise of existing international students locked out of the country since March 2020 or new fresh fee-paying international students.
“In April 2022, around 800 people overseas will have current student visas, but not all will still meet visa requirements or wish to travel.
“We do not expect significant numbers of current student visa holders to enter New Zealand,” the spokesperson said.
This story has been brought to you under NZ On Air's Public Interest Journalism
Immigration New Zealand has told the Indian Weekender that currently there are 21,000 temporary visa holders outside New Zealand border.
An official spokesperson of Immigration New Zealand said, “there are around 21,000 current temporary visa holders offshore.”
“Under Step 3, from 12 April 2022,...
Immigration New Zealand has told the Indian Weekender that currently there are 21,000 temporary visa holders outside New Zealand border.
An official spokesperson of Immigration New Zealand said, “there are around 21,000 current temporary visa holders offshore.”
“Under Step 3, from 12 April 2022, current offshore temporary visa holders, who can still meet the relevant visa requirements, will be able to enter New Zealand and self-isolate. This includes current student visa holders,” the spokesperson said.
Immigration New Zealand was responding to the Indian Weekender’s query on how many temporary migrant workers and international students who were initially locked out of NZ borders in March 2020 could potentially return in the third stage of the government’s recently announced 5 stage border re-opening plan starting from the end of this month.
What does “who can still meet the relevant visa requirement” means?
The govt has announced that on April 13, 2022, the border will re-open for current offshore temporary visa holders, who can still meet the relevant visa requirements.
It is this “who can still meet the relevant visa requirement” part of the announcement that is causing much confusion and false hope among temporary migrant workers, including post-study work visa holders stuck overseas.
Notably, for most of the temporary migrant workers who were first locked out of NZ borders in March 2020, their visas would have expired in the two-year period.
Apparently, a miniscule category of such temporary migrant workers whose visas had survived for this two-year lock-out period, they still need to have valid employment with the same employers – which is an exceptionally tall order, given that most of the employers would have moved on and found a replacement after getting no indication from the government that it had any intentions to let those workers back into the country.
As late as on January 19, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi has told the Indian Weekender that there was no plan to extend or revive the expired visas of temporary migrant workers stuck overseas.
Last, but not the least, even if there are a small number of such temporary migrant workers still having a couple of months left on their existing work visas, then by April 2022 (they would have lost another valuable 2 months of visa tenure) they might have one or two months left on their visas, which might prompt immigration officials at the border to not allow their entry into the country.
Notably, under current immigration laws, an immigration officer at the borders has to be convinced that the person seeking entry into the country has a valid reason and a valid visa to enter in NZ, and with only 1-2 months of valid time left on their visas could not be enough to convince IO’s to allow their entry into the country.
Only 800 current international students outside NZ borders
Additionally, border will also be open for up to 5000 international students for semester two.
The Indian Weekender had already clarified with the Immigration New Zealand if this will largely comprise of existing international students locked out of the country since March 2020 or new fresh fee-paying international students.
“In April 2022, around 800 people overseas will have current student visas, but not all will still meet visa requirements or wish to travel.
“We do not expect significant numbers of current student visa holders to enter New Zealand,” the spokesperson said.
This story has been brought to you under NZ On Air's Public Interest Journalism
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