What? $212,000 combined salary to bring your parents? Labour govt’s blatantly pro-rich immigration policy
“What a joke” – is currently the most commonly trending response on social media – on the government’s announcement of the opening of parent visa category.
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway has probably announced one of the most, blatantly pro-rich immigration policies that New Zealand has ever seen by requiring people to earn a whopping $159,000 - $212,000 annually to be eligible to bring their parent in the country.
The parent visa category was closed by the earlier National government in October 2016 as some concerns were raised around growing cost to taxpayers due to parents’ possible dependency on the public health system.
The temporary suspension of the policy was a source of huge anxiety in the migrant community, including the Kiwi-Indian community as it denied the migrants the ability to look after their old parents while they work and live in New Zealand.
In that regard, Mr Lees-Galloway had done a favour by removing the ambiguity in the immigration policy - however not without deforming the humane face of the policy and denying the huge-huge mass of working middle-class migrants - the possibility of ever being able to look after their old parents.
This is indeed deplorable, and unlike of Labour’s much avowed humane, empathetic and compassionate approach, to the people, they claim to be representing in politics.
Under the new set of regulations introduced today, if you are single and want to bring one of your parents, then you should be earning $104,000 (instead of earlier $65,000), and $159,000 if you wish to bring both of your parents.
A couple, on the other hand, will have to earn over $159,000 to be joined by one parent and $212,000 by two. Earlier couple wanting to sponsor their parents were required to be earning $90,000 annually.
This is when the median wage in the country (implying that half of the country’s entire full-time workforce is earning) is a paltry $56,700 – and the Immigration Minister is absolutely clear in his mind that a person wanting to sponsor one of his parents should be earning “double the median income.”
We have to be further mindful of the fact that the median annual income for a Kiwi woman working fulltime is further less by another $10,000 at $47,000.
The median income for full-time working ethnic migrant workers is expected to be further less.
Expectedly, the members of the Kiwi-Indian migrant community who would be facing the immediate consequences of this new policy, and are struggling to comprehend the blatantly pro-rich immigration policy were quick to vent their ire on social media.
“What a Joke,” commented Garry Gupta one of the readers on the Indian Weekender’s on an earlier story on the latest government announcement.
“These people have lost their minds,” commented another frustrated reader Vinny Matharu on the same story.
“Such an unreal goal for many asking for income which even Kiwis can’t achieve...what a joke modern day racism,” left the comment an exasperated Ankit Nagpal.
Many readers and members of the community were even asking people to consider voting for a change of the government in the next elections on the social media posts.
“Next time I will make sure I vote for a change,” said Kalwinder Dhillon.
“An extension to the anti-immigration policy from an out of touch Government,” said Sunny Kaushal.
Clearly, there is a palpable resentment within the broader Kiwi-Indian community for the seemingly outrageous requirements imposed on migrant workers for their basic human desire of looking after their family and parent while they continue to work and live in New Zealand.
“What a joke” – is currently the most commonly trending response on social media – on the government’s announcement of the opening of parent visa category.
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway has probably announced one of the most, blatantly pro-rich immigration policies that New Zealand has...
“What a joke” – is currently the most commonly trending response on social media – on the government’s announcement of the opening of parent visa category.
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway has probably announced one of the most, blatantly pro-rich immigration policies that New Zealand has ever seen by requiring people to earn a whopping $159,000 - $212,000 annually to be eligible to bring their parent in the country.
The parent visa category was closed by the earlier National government in October 2016 as some concerns were raised around growing cost to taxpayers due to parents’ possible dependency on the public health system.
The temporary suspension of the policy was a source of huge anxiety in the migrant community, including the Kiwi-Indian community as it denied the migrants the ability to look after their old parents while they work and live in New Zealand.
In that regard, Mr Lees-Galloway had done a favour by removing the ambiguity in the immigration policy - however not without deforming the humane face of the policy and denying the huge-huge mass of working middle-class migrants - the possibility of ever being able to look after their old parents.
This is indeed deplorable, and unlike of Labour’s much avowed humane, empathetic and compassionate approach, to the people, they claim to be representing in politics.
Under the new set of regulations introduced today, if you are single and want to bring one of your parents, then you should be earning $104,000 (instead of earlier $65,000), and $159,000 if you wish to bring both of your parents.
A couple, on the other hand, will have to earn over $159,000 to be joined by one parent and $212,000 by two. Earlier couple wanting to sponsor their parents were required to be earning $90,000 annually.
This is when the median wage in the country (implying that half of the country’s entire full-time workforce is earning) is a paltry $56,700 – and the Immigration Minister is absolutely clear in his mind that a person wanting to sponsor one of his parents should be earning “double the median income.”
We have to be further mindful of the fact that the median annual income for a Kiwi woman working fulltime is further less by another $10,000 at $47,000.
The median income for full-time working ethnic migrant workers is expected to be further less.
Expectedly, the members of the Kiwi-Indian migrant community who would be facing the immediate consequences of this new policy, and are struggling to comprehend the blatantly pro-rich immigration policy were quick to vent their ire on social media.
“What a Joke,” commented Garry Gupta one of the readers on the Indian Weekender’s on an earlier story on the latest government announcement.
“These people have lost their minds,” commented another frustrated reader Vinny Matharu on the same story.
“Such an unreal goal for many asking for income which even Kiwis can’t achieve...what a joke modern day racism,” left the comment an exasperated Ankit Nagpal.
Many readers and members of the community were even asking people to consider voting for a change of the government in the next elections on the social media posts.
“Next time I will make sure I vote for a change,” said Kalwinder Dhillon.
“An extension to the anti-immigration policy from an out of touch Government,” said Sunny Kaushal.
Clearly, there is a palpable resentment within the broader Kiwi-Indian community for the seemingly outrageous requirements imposed on migrant workers for their basic human desire of looking after their family and parent while they continue to work and live in New Zealand.
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