ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
The government remains adamant to not reinstate expired visas of temporary migrants stuck overseas since March 2020 border closure.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi had made absolutely clear that the government had no intention to reinstate the expired visas of around 20,000 temporary migrants stuck overseas including post-study work visa holders.
Minister Faafoi was responding to a pointed question asked by the Indian Weekender in a media conference on the side-lines of Business NZ pre-Budget Lunch meeting on Wednesday, May 11, at Hilton Hotel, Auckland,
Earlier some major announcements were made by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister Faafoi on bringing forward the border re-opening date to July 31 and around immigration settings.
Prime Minister Ardern addressed the businesses in this much awaited pre-budget lunch meeting via zoom after becoming a household contact of Covid-case and made it clear that returning back to pre-Covid pandemic level immigration settings was not an option.
The days of large number of low-skilled migrant workers from overseas are over and the country will move on towards being a high-skilled high wages economy and this government was absolutely clear in lifting the skill levels of new incoming migrants’ workers into the country.
Towards the end of the event Minister of Immigration Kris Faafoi and Minister of Covid-19 response Chris Hipkins addressed a media conference explaining the government’s view on the overall change of immigration settings.
When asked pointedly if he would consider reinstating the expired visas of around 20,000 temporary migrants stuck overseas whose visas have expired and are desperately waiting for some kind of amnesty, the Minister of Immigration said, “not at this stage.”
When asked again what was the rationale [for not allowing them back into the country when other countries such as Au have welcomed back their temporary migrant workers] Minister Faafoi said, “When the border reopens on July 31, they will be able to apply for new visas.”
“We have taken the decision…” the Minster said.
The government remains adamant to not reinstate expired visas of temporary migrants stuck overseas since March 2020 border closure.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi had made absolutely clear that the government had no intention to reinstate the expired visas of around 20,000 temporary migrants...
The government remains adamant to not reinstate expired visas of temporary migrants stuck overseas since March 2020 border closure.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi had made absolutely clear that the government had no intention to reinstate the expired visas of around 20,000 temporary migrants stuck overseas including post-study work visa holders.
Minister Faafoi was responding to a pointed question asked by the Indian Weekender in a media conference on the side-lines of Business NZ pre-Budget Lunch meeting on Wednesday, May 11, at Hilton Hotel, Auckland,
Earlier some major announcements were made by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister Faafoi on bringing forward the border re-opening date to July 31 and around immigration settings.
Prime Minister Ardern addressed the businesses in this much awaited pre-budget lunch meeting via zoom after becoming a household contact of Covid-case and made it clear that returning back to pre-Covid pandemic level immigration settings was not an option.
The days of large number of low-skilled migrant workers from overseas are over and the country will move on towards being a high-skilled high wages economy and this government was absolutely clear in lifting the skill levels of new incoming migrants’ workers into the country.
Towards the end of the event Minister of Immigration Kris Faafoi and Minister of Covid-19 response Chris Hipkins addressed a media conference explaining the government’s view on the overall change of immigration settings.
When asked pointedly if he would consider reinstating the expired visas of around 20,000 temporary migrants stuck overseas whose visas have expired and are desperately waiting for some kind of amnesty, the Minister of Immigration said, “not at this stage.”
When asked again what was the rationale [for not allowing them back into the country when other countries such as Au have welcomed back their temporary migrant workers] Minister Faafoi said, “When the border reopens on July 31, they will be able to apply for new visas.”
“We have taken the decision…” the Minster said.
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