Tougher British OE rules 'not set in stone'

Tougher rules for young New Zealanders wanting to go on working holidays in Britain are not yet set in stone, says Prime Minister Helen Clark.

The New Zealand and British Governments have been negotiating for years over proposals to change UK immigration laws which could threaten the traditional "OE".

Last year 4000 young New Zealanders obtained visas for working holidays in Britain without needing proof that they had a job or were going to study.

The British High Commission announced yesterday that in the future New Zealanders might have to show they had sponsorship from an education or employment provider before being granted a visa.

Helen Clark's spokesman said changes to UK immigration laws and how they affected New Zealanders were a "work in progress".

The Prime Minister was pleased that the UK had dropped plans to reduce visas that were granted due to British ancestry and scrapped the idea of reducing the short stay visa from six months to three, he said.

Representations were continuing to see that New Zealanders' traditional right of entry to Britain were eroded as little as possible in the wider revamp of immigration.

If British Prime Minister Tony Blair travelled to New Zealand after attending the Commonwealth Games, the spokesman expected the working visas issue for 18 to 30 year olds to be on the agenda just as they had been in past discussions.

British officials had originally proposed completely lumping in New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries with those travelling from any other country.

- NZPA