As part of the Temporary Migrant Worker Exploitation Review and its response to COVID-19, the Government recently announced changes to reduce the exploitation of temporary migrant workers, including international students. The changes will support people in New Zealand to be in safe and fulfilling work, and businesses to operate with confidence on a level playing field.

“This morning I am announcing that I have dismissed Minister Iain Lees Galloway as a Minister. Yesterday afternoon the leader of the opposition advised me of an email she had received that related to Iain Lees Galloway. She conveyed to me that she had asked the individual to relay anything directly to my office.”

The Government is making immediate short-term changes to visa settings to support temporary migrants already onshore in New Zealand and their employers, while also ensuring New Zealanders needing work are prioritised, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says.

Last week the Government took the next steps to safely help reunite New Zealand families, and support economic recovery without increasing the risk of COVID-19, as noted by the Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford and Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway on Friday.

A Bill to temporarily amend immigration legislation to support the quick and efficient management of visa changes during COVID-19 is being introduced to Parliament today.

COVID-19: Key updates, updated 13:30 Thursday 9 April.

General elections are upon us and some would hope that this time politicians won’t use vulnerable groups of communities (migrants) as scapegoats to mislead and gain votes in this election again.

Where to study in New Zealand?

These councils and communities are the first in New Zealand to be accredited as Committed Welcoming Communities.

On December 2, Immigration New Zealand said in a release, “We have contacted a group of people who were recently declined visas to visit a New Zealand citizen or resident partner. These people have been told they may apply for a visitor visa which will be assessed against updated guidelines. The fee for this application will be waived.”

The Government has announced that the Pathway Student Visa pilot will continue until January 2021, after which it will become a permanent visa category. This pilot was introduced in December 2015, to enable international students to study up to three consecutive courses on a single student visa for up to five years. The visa is only available for study with approved education providers and for some courses of study.

A group of community leaders, representing South Asian countries, will soon be meeting the Immigration New Zealand officials and higher management to take up their immigration concerns with them.

In a first-of-its-kind meeting held in Auckland on November 11, representatives from several Kiwi-South-east Asian communities including from India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka - decided to form a five-member action committee to take up collective immigration concerns with the Central Government.