This is the question most healthcare workers who have been left out of the One-off resident visa are asking this government
The much-awaited news of a One-off Residence Visa has delighted 165,000 immigrants who are eligible for this pathway. But at the same time, it has brought frustration, stress and trauma to many who have been left out primarily because of holding a visa which is not in the eligible list category for this policy.
While the new visa is aimed at acknowledging the contribution of those who are skilled, settled and are working in the scarce industry, many contend that the new policy is nothing but unfair. One such category is of those healthcare workers who did their bit by contributing during the Covid 19 pandemic but have been excluded in this new policy.
Here are stories of those healthcare workers, who are left feeling abandoned by this government despite working relentlessly in the pandemic, as told to the Indian Weekender. These stories scream unfairness, inequality and unjust behaviour of the Government toward them while drafting this policy.
Neeti (name changed on request) a 25-year-old Covid swabber/ Covid Vaccinator, who despite meeting all the three criteria of Settled, Skilled and Scarce, is not eligible for the One-off Visa as she is currently holding a student visa. She says, "I am a Covid Vaccinator and Covid Swabber. I am working as a critical health worker fulltime while being on a student visa. During the latest Level 4, I used to start swabbing at 6 am because due to long queues of cars (around 300) outside our medical centre. I, along with my other colleagues, worked from early morning till late.”
Neeti believes that the government should appreciate the effort of every critical health worker, and the policy should be amended. She says, “Despite the risk involved in taking covid swabs, I have done the job due to my empathy and responsibility toward the government. The government should also think about health care workers. The immigration decision must be amended else it will create a poor image of NZ immigration for future upcoming international students as well as those who want to work in healthcare. The government should act fairly.”
‘I will never advise people to come to NZ’
Another such story is that of Rohan (name changed on request) who is currently working as a Mental Health Support Worker since January 2020. He says, "I came on a partner of a student visa from India along with my wife and two kids (aged three and six). I completed my study of New Zealand Health and Wellbeing (Level 4) from Open Polytechnic on the job while working fulltime in pandemic to be eligible for the Skilled migrant Category. Both of us have been working to serve the country during the lockdown as essential workers and putting our kids lives at risk during Covid-19.”
Rohan, who has already lodged his Expression of Interest for Skilled Migrant Category in February 2021 and is earning the median wage but the fact that he is on partnership ship is the reason for his ineligibility and he says he is disappointed and disheartened.
He says, “The 30 September announcement has left us very disappointed and disheartened. The Honourable Immigration Minister decides the applicants who will be granted Critical Purpose Visitor Visa (Long Term) and able to come to NZ before 31 July 2022 are eligible for this category but what about those who are already working full time in the critical healthcare sector in NZ and meet the required eligibility criteria not able to apply under this category? Currently, it seems like the government does not need Critical Health Care Worker and is forcing us to leave the country by excluding us.
Rohan feels abandoned by the government and has even made up his mind to move to another country and has already started looking for jobs. He says, "I am already on the hunt for the job in Australia and Canada. I will leave the country immediately once I secure a job and will never advise people to move to NZ. I can't wait for the next 36 months to get residency as we do not know what would the SMC criteria looks like in future. I need to think about my family and their mental health issues.”
‘Discriminated, ignored, cheated’
Teresa Wo, a student visa holder who immigrated from China before September 2018, and is working as a healthcare worker. Sharing her story, the 33-year-old says, "I am a student undertaking my healthcare course since May 2021 and will graduate in February 2022. I arrived in NZ before Sep. 2018 and have stayed here more than 1000 days. Before and during the lockdown, I worked in the primary industry on an essential work visa from July 2019 to March 2021. Currently, as a healthcare worker, I am trying my best to provide healthcare services to patients in the hospital, despite knowing the risks involved.
An emotional Wo who feels “discriminated, ignored and cheated by the government" says, "It's the government who encouraged us to obtain more EOI points and skills. We decided to go back to study to improve our skills, which totally comply with what the government said. However, it seems that my life’s biggest mistake is to go back to study to upskill myself. The government abandoned us in this one-off residency program despite my contributions to this country. Moreover, NZ is begging for critical healthcare workers from overseas but unfairly excluding (from one-off resident visa) those who are already here and contributing by working at the most vulnerable position during these challenging times. This administration is a joke and liar.”
These stories are just the tip of the iceberg as regards the healthcare workers who got left out from the one-off residence visa despite doing their contribution to the front line during the pandemic.
When contacted, the Minister of Immigration Kris Faafoi had recently told Indian Weekender that eligibility for the 2021 Resident visa is reasonably broad and could provide a pathway to residence for around 165,000 people. Where people are not eligible for the one-off resident visa, there may be other options towards residence available to them." This indicated that the government has no plan to expand the eligibility criteria for the one-off residence visa.
‘Expand eligibility criteria’
Political parties including National Party, Green Party as well as ACT party are already calling the government to expand the eligibility criteria of the One-off Residence Visa.
Ricardo Menéndez March, Green Party’s Immigration spokesperson, says leaving migrants out just because of their visa type fails to provide certainty to migrants. “The Greens are calling for an expansion of the one-off residency visa eligibility. We believe there should be clear and achievable pathways for all migrants to gain residency, including transparent and honest communication with temporary visa holders to enable their transition to permanent residence. Leaving migrants out because they happen to be on the wrong visa fails to meet the supposed intent of the Government to grant certainty to migrants. Many of our healthcare workers went on a study visa because they had not been able to find a realistic pathway to residency before the one-off residency announcement. Some migrants have told me they went to study to upskill and be able to meet the wage requirements to be considered “skilled” by INZ. We are calling the Minister to listen to the many migrants rightfully calling for a review of the one-off residency visa settings.”
Even immigration experts opine that excluding people because of their visa type, especially those working in healthcare, is illogical and irrational. Immigration expert Tuariki Delamere says, “I totally sympathise with them (healthcare workers) in their frustration, disappointment and even anger at missing out. My sympathies are especially for those on partnership work visas working in healthcare. I also have great sympathy for those who accepted the challenge of the Minister of Immigration, the challenge of INZ, the challenge of the Government to those people who went back to upgrade their qualifications so that they meet the criteria for the skilled migrant category. For those people, it is like being kicked in the teeth. And excluding these people does not make sense. It is illogical and irrational. Someone should query the Minister on these specifics.”