An Austrian woman living in Blenheim may be forced to leave her baby daughter behind and return to Austria after her New Zealand work permit ran out.

Claudia Dallarosa, 42, a vineyard worker, has been told to leave New Zealand by the end of March after her application for an extension of her work visa was turned down.

She has lived in New Zealand for nearly five years but Immigration New Zealand said she must go because Kiwis are available to do her job.

However, her 16-month-old New Zealand-born daughter Pania, who has a British father with New Zealand permanent residency, may have to stay behind.

Pania's father lives on the West Coast and sees his daughter intermittently. Miss Dallarosa feared that if she applied for permission to take Pania to Austria, her father would challenge her and win.

Miss Dallarosa said that since she had been in New Zealand, vineyards had struggled to find enough labour because most Kiwis did not want to work in the vines, but she did.

"I do understand where Immigration is coming from, but the thing is a lot of people still get brought in from overseas to work in the vineyards who have no qualification to work in the vineyards, but I do."

She considered New Zealand home. "When I set foot on New Zealand ground, for the first time in my life I knew where home was."

She said New Zealand was a better place to raise Pania and was close to her daughter's father.

"He could stop her from going, but that means she has to stay and I have to leave."

Department of Labour external communications adviser Eric Janse van Rensburg said the viticulture industry historically suffered from labour shortages during peak seasonal period, but because of the recession there were currently more New Zealanders available to work in the industry.

He said vineyard workers were not on immigration shortage lists as it tended to be seasonal, New Zealanders could be easily trained and the Recognised Seasonal Employer policy helped with labour.

In a letter of support, Kaikoura MP Colin King wrote that it was harsh to ask a mother of a young New Zealand child to leave the country. He said she would have a hard decision to make about whether to try to get her daughter into Austria or leave her behind.

"I believe as a Government we have a commitment to fulfilling New Zealand's international obligation to treat the interests of children lawfully in New Zealand as an important consideration when making decisions that will greatly affect their lives and that of those they depend on as greatly as they do a parent."
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Miss Dallarosa moved to Marlborough in May 2005 and started work in various vineyards.

In October 2007 she started working as a permanent vineyard employee for Constellation New Zealand. While there, she completed qualifications in First Line Management Level 4 and Horticulture Level 3.

Her role included staff supervision, tractor driving, mowing, vine and weed spraying, pruning and trellis maintenance.

In late 2008, Miss Dallarosa took maternity leave to have Pania, in Blenheim. She is the sole carer of Pania as the father moved to the West Coast.

Miss Dallarosa returned to work for Constellation and applied for an extension to her work visa, which was due to expire on September 21, 2009, but was turned down.

Constellation's national viticulture manager, Ollie Davidson, said if her work permit had been extended he would have continued to employ her.

Mr Davidson said Constellation had supported Miss Dallarosa with her applications and held her job open, but eventually filled it with a New Zealander.

He said no New Zealanders used to apply for the jobs, but given current circumstances they were.

KIWIS FIRST

Priority is given to New Zealanders. Work and Income conducts a Labour Market Check to see whether New Zealanders could be available to do a job. If no New Zealand residents or citizens can do a job then it can be filled by a foreigner. Winemakers, viticulturists and specialist positions (not pickers) are listed on the Department of Labour's immediate skill shortage list.

(Source - Rachel Young, The Marlborough Express)