Monday 08/06/2009

Work permit applications are being declined at double the rate of a year ago.

More than 760 work permit applications were rejected in April this year, compared with 224 in April 2006 and 357 in 2008.

Although 4500 applications were accepted in April 2008, just 3200 were issued in April this year, bringing down the approval rating from 93 per cent to 81 per cent.

Shirlene Cochraine, a Canterbury dairy farmer and consultant for recruitment company Greener Horizons, said her company employed 22 Filipinos whose visas were due for renewal over the next 10 months. She had documentation from the Immigration department indicating that it would be "pretty much impossible to get them renewed".

However, she said unemployed Kiwis could not fill the jobs.

Reinier Undan, 27, from the Philippines, has been working on a Leeston dairy farm for eight months. His visa is due for renewal in October. He has a two-year contract, but is worried about whether he will be allowed to stay.

He is saving for his wedding next year, as well as paying for his younger brother to attend school. "It might be very hard to find work at home."

His employer, Alistair McDrury, said what set Filipino workers apart from many Kiwis was their work ethic. "Immigration is wanting to clamp up on letting them into the country, but just because people are unemployed doesn't mean they are suitable to work on dairy farms.

"The unemployment rate is climbing, but the dairy industry is still struggling to find staff."

Migrant Action Trust co-ordinator Agnes Granada said some migrants had been in New Zealand for up to nine years and were now faced with the possibility of having to go home. Migrants who were made redundant could look for work only in the occupations their permits covered.

She said the trust was asking Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman to allow migrants to seek work in any area. "Many migrants are unable to find a job in the current climate. Where are these people going to go?

"We want to highlight to the minister that coming to New Zealand involves huge investment. If we are protecting the investments of Kiwis, why are we not protecting the investments of migrants that come here?"

The National Distribution Union and Filipino workers' group Migrante Aotearoa are petitioning the Government to extend redundant migrants' work permits for three months.

Dr Coleman said temporary work visas would not be renewed as more New Zealanders became available to work. "There is never any guarantee that they will be renewed and migrants know this when they come to New Zealand under those visas."

(Source The Press)