Parent category visa applicants continue in limbo
If one talks about New Zealand's immigration policy, one category that seems forgotten entirely is the Parents' residence category. Five years ago, the parent category – that invited parents of current residents and citizen migrants to settle in NZ – was suspended. Despite the government announcing a new programme two years ago in 2019 and then with the Covid 19 pandemic coming in, it was again halted in March 2020.
According to immigration data, the total number of parent category expressions of interest in the pool as of 10 November 2021 is 5493 involving 8675 people.
In September 2021, immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announced the One-Off residency programme, which relieved many migrants. Still, it was disheartening that no mention about the resumption of the EOIs of the parents' category has ever been spoken about.
Many Kiwi Indians feel frustrated and stressed about not being able to apply for their parents' residence despite meeting the income threshold just because the category has been closed since 2016.
‘It is a shame on this country’s system’
Kiwi Indian Entrepreneur Shivam, the owner of dental clinics across Auckland, has been waiting since 2016 for his mother's EOI under the parents' category to be picked up. His mother Amita Verma is a 64-year-old widow staying alone in Lucknow, India. Sharing his frustration, he says, "I have honestly lost hope that my mom would get residence here. I have been waiting for years, but the suspension of the category has shattered all my plans. I pay thousands of dollars as taxes to this government, but it is a shame on this country’s system that I can’t even apply for my mom’s residence.”
He further adds, “We, as Indians, value our parents so much, and every day despite being in New Zealand, I am constantly thinking about my mom's well-being. I only watch her through CCTV. No one is more important than one's parents, but New Zealand immigration fails to under it. Our parents have done so much for us, and it is a pity that now in old age when they need us the most, we are not with them. I hope this government understands this and opens the parents’ category as soon as possible.”
‘I want to take care of my parents when they need it the most’
Another similar heart-touching story is that of Kiwi Indian Gurjeet Singh. His elderly parents – father Rajinder Singh Dua and mother Mohinder Kaur Dua, are currently staying alone in Delhi, India. Sharing his story, Gurjeet says, "My other brother and I have stayed in NZ for the past many years along with our respective families. We had been waiting to apply for our parent’s residence since 2017.
“My parents stayed with my elder brother and his family in Delhi. But unfortunately, last year in August, my elder brother passed away and hence there is no one to look after them. Though I am physically here in NZ, my heart and mind constantly think about my parents. I so badly want them to be with us here so that we can take care of them when they need it the most."
The stringent border restrictions have added to the stress and trauma of Kiwi Indians like Gurjeet. He says, “Due to the border restrictions, neither they can visit us, nor we can go and be with them. It is so frustrating. I pray and hope that things change and immigration does open parents’ category soon.”
When Indian Weekender contacted Immigration New Zealand, a spokesperson from the Immigration Minister’s office said, “The Government continues to assess when Expressions of Interest selections can take place. However, decisions are still yet to be made. The Minister will be reporting back to Cabinet colleagues who are involved in the work to reconnect NZ on options for phasing the reopening of visa categories and options for visa processing priorities. Announcements will be made once decisions have been agreed."
The spokesperson further revealed that the Covid 19 pandemic is also the reason behind the defer of reopening of the category: “The Parent Category was due to reopen in February 2020 with new criteria, and the first Expression of Interest (EOI) selection was scheduled to take place in May 2020. However, this was deferred due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.”
Immigration experts, too, feel the frustration and hope that the category should be opened to bring joy to migrant families.
Raj Pardeep Singh of Legal Associates, says, “I highly recommend the reopening of residence visa policy for parents. Though it has been delayed, our community has full trust and faith in this current government to bring back the policy to reunite the families. The parents’ residence visa policy will bring joy to all the migrant families as we believe the parents are the strong roots for our cultural values and give shape to our bright future.”
However, experts feel that given the current Covid-19 situation in New Zealand, parent category resident visas will be very low on INZ's priority list.
Sharing his views, Himang Bhardwaj from Counsel One Immigration Services and former warranted immigration officer and People Leader at MBIE says, “NZ government considers parent category resident visa to be of low value and is unlikely to open the parent category selections during the pandemic given the perceived impact the applicants can have on NZ’s healthcare infrastructure. I will not be surprised if the category is completely closed in the near future.
"I believe that the last changes made to parent category were not thought through, and the intent behind the changes was to limit the number of applicants who can qualify for a visa. I was involved with creating resources and implementing training for MBIE staff members when the changes were announced in 2019, and a lot of changes were made to the policy last minute."
Former Immigration Minister Tuariki Delamere feels a similar sentiment and says that the government's focus is currently on those onshore, which explains the delay. He says, "While I understand the frustrations of those who are trying to get their parents to New Zealand, it is, in the whole scheme of things, not an issue that is of any great importance, given the demands that covid has placed on the Government in looking after those already in New Zealand.”
If one talks about New Zealand's immigration policy, one category that seems forgotten entirely is the Parents' residence category. Five years ago, the parent category – that invited parents of current residents and citizen migrants to settle in NZ – was suspended. Despite the government announcing...
If one talks about New Zealand's immigration policy, one category that seems forgotten entirely is the Parents' residence category. Five years ago, the parent category – that invited parents of current residents and citizen migrants to settle in NZ – was suspended. Despite the government announcing a new programme two years ago in 2019 and then with the Covid 19 pandemic coming in, it was again halted in March 2020.
According to immigration data, the total number of parent category expressions of interest in the pool as of 10 November 2021 is 5493 involving 8675 people.
In September 2021, immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announced the One-Off residency programme, which relieved many migrants. Still, it was disheartening that no mention about the resumption of the EOIs of the parents' category has ever been spoken about.
Many Kiwi Indians feel frustrated and stressed about not being able to apply for their parents' residence despite meeting the income threshold just because the category has been closed since 2016.
‘It is a shame on this country’s system’
Kiwi Indian Entrepreneur Shivam, the owner of dental clinics across Auckland, has been waiting since 2016 for his mother's EOI under the parents' category to be picked up. His mother Amita Verma is a 64-year-old widow staying alone in Lucknow, India. Sharing his frustration, he says, "I have honestly lost hope that my mom would get residence here. I have been waiting for years, but the suspension of the category has shattered all my plans. I pay thousands of dollars as taxes to this government, but it is a shame on this country’s system that I can’t even apply for my mom’s residence.”
He further adds, “We, as Indians, value our parents so much, and every day despite being in New Zealand, I am constantly thinking about my mom's well-being. I only watch her through CCTV. No one is more important than one's parents, but New Zealand immigration fails to under it. Our parents have done so much for us, and it is a pity that now in old age when they need us the most, we are not with them. I hope this government understands this and opens the parents’ category as soon as possible.”
‘I want to take care of my parents when they need it the most’
Another similar heart-touching story is that of Kiwi Indian Gurjeet Singh. His elderly parents – father Rajinder Singh Dua and mother Mohinder Kaur Dua, are currently staying alone in Delhi, India. Sharing his story, Gurjeet says, "My other brother and I have stayed in NZ for the past many years along with our respective families. We had been waiting to apply for our parent’s residence since 2017.
“My parents stayed with my elder brother and his family in Delhi. But unfortunately, last year in August, my elder brother passed away and hence there is no one to look after them. Though I am physically here in NZ, my heart and mind constantly think about my parents. I so badly want them to be with us here so that we can take care of them when they need it the most."
The stringent border restrictions have added to the stress and trauma of Kiwi Indians like Gurjeet. He says, “Due to the border restrictions, neither they can visit us, nor we can go and be with them. It is so frustrating. I pray and hope that things change and immigration does open parents’ category soon.”
When Indian Weekender contacted Immigration New Zealand, a spokesperson from the Immigration Minister’s office said, “The Government continues to assess when Expressions of Interest selections can take place. However, decisions are still yet to be made. The Minister will be reporting back to Cabinet colleagues who are involved in the work to reconnect NZ on options for phasing the reopening of visa categories and options for visa processing priorities. Announcements will be made once decisions have been agreed."
The spokesperson further revealed that the Covid 19 pandemic is also the reason behind the defer of reopening of the category: “The Parent Category was due to reopen in February 2020 with new criteria, and the first Expression of Interest (EOI) selection was scheduled to take place in May 2020. However, this was deferred due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.”
Immigration experts, too, feel the frustration and hope that the category should be opened to bring joy to migrant families.
Raj Pardeep Singh of Legal Associates, says, “I highly recommend the reopening of residence visa policy for parents. Though it has been delayed, our community has full trust and faith in this current government to bring back the policy to reunite the families. The parents’ residence visa policy will bring joy to all the migrant families as we believe the parents are the strong roots for our cultural values and give shape to our bright future.”
However, experts feel that given the current Covid-19 situation in New Zealand, parent category resident visas will be very low on INZ's priority list.
Sharing his views, Himang Bhardwaj from Counsel One Immigration Services and former warranted immigration officer and People Leader at MBIE says, “NZ government considers parent category resident visa to be of low value and is unlikely to open the parent category selections during the pandemic given the perceived impact the applicants can have on NZ’s healthcare infrastructure. I will not be surprised if the category is completely closed in the near future.
"I believe that the last changes made to parent category were not thought through, and the intent behind the changes was to limit the number of applicants who can qualify for a visa. I was involved with creating resources and implementing training for MBIE staff members when the changes were announced in 2019, and a lot of changes were made to the policy last minute."
Former Immigration Minister Tuariki Delamere feels a similar sentiment and says that the government's focus is currently on those onshore, which explains the delay. He says, "While I understand the frustrations of those who are trying to get their parents to New Zealand, it is, in the whole scheme of things, not an issue that is of any great importance, given the demands that covid has placed on the Government in looking after those already in New Zealand.”
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