The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Taieri farm worker's wife faces deportation after work visa application fails

By Sally Rae
Otago Daily Times·
3 Jul, 2018 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Immigration NZ will let Harjinder (Harrie) Chander stay in New Zealand but want to send his wife, Pawandeep, a nurse, back to India. Harrie works for Taieri farmer, Mark Adam. Photo / ODT

Immigration NZ will let Harjinder (Harrie) Chander stay in New Zealand but want to send his wife, Pawandeep, a nurse, back to India. Harrie works for Taieri farmer, Mark Adam. Photo / ODT

She is a nurse, he is a herd manager on a Taieri dairy farm and has a commerce degree.

But Harjinder (Harrie) and Pawandeep Chander's future together is in jeopardy as Pawandeep faces deportation to India.

Immigration New Zealand has deemed her husband's employment "lower skilled" and declined her application for a work visa.

With the support of Harjinder's employer, Mark Adam, the couple are fighting for her to stay in the country they have grown to love.

Yesterday, as they prepared to seek legal advice, the quietly-spoken couple admitted the news was distressing and stressful.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Moving to New Zealand for a better life, Harjinder, 28, worked in the kiwifruit industry before answering Adam's advertisement for a dairy farm worker.

He came to Woodside with only a small bag and no knowledge of the industry but had a great attitude, Adam said.

"Everyone that comes here likes Harrie. I'm quite happy to leave him to run the farm and go and do other things." Each year, Adam was frustrated he had to readvertise Harjinder's position - which was a requirement - so he could get a work visa. No applications were ever as good as him.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In December 2016, Harjinder wed Pawandeep, 24, in an arranged marriage in India which was attended by his boss.

She came to New Zealand in August last year and Harjinder never thought that it would be a problem for her to stay.

Harjinder (Harrie) and Pawandeep Chander with Taieri farmer Mark Adam. Photo / ODT
Harjinder (Harrie) and Pawandeep Chander with Taieri farmer Mark Adam. Photo / ODT

A letter from Immigration New Zealand dated June 22 said Pawandeep's application for a work visa - partner of a worker - received on March 28 had been declined.

A previous letter in May explained concerns she might not be eligible as her partner held an Essential Skills work visa.

Discover more

Immigration stands firm on denying visa

04 Jul 09:00 PM

Woman facing deportation gets visitor visa

24 Jul 08:00 PM

Further information, including letters of support, was submitted by the couple but Immigration New Zealand was not satisfied the response mitigated its concerns.

An interim visa granted while awaiting a decision on the work visa application had expired, meaning Pawandeep was unlawfully in New Zealand, as of June 24, and liable for deportation.

She could appeal on humanitarian grounds within 42 days.

Adam said the couple were both skilled workers and wanted to live in New Zealand, quipping that he thought it was only Donald Trump that separated families.

It was obvious that immigrants were not wanted in the country, yet there were plenty of people needing dairy farm workers, he said.

One possibility was for Pawandeep to return to India and reapply, while completing the requirements needed for her to work as a nurse in New Zealand.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Late yesterday, a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment spokeswoman said a response would be provided today.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Storm-hit region faces 57-hour drenching; heavy rain to hit north of both islands

09 Jul 03:54 AM
The Country

David Seymour co-hosts The Country

09 Jul 02:22 AM
The Country

‘Clearly preventable’: Company, director sentenced over timber yard death

09 Jul 01:26 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Storm-hit region faces 57-hour drenching; heavy rain to hit north of both islands

Storm-hit region faces 57-hour drenching; heavy rain to hit north of both islands

09 Jul 03:54 AM

Friday is expected to bring the worst of the heavy rain, which lingers into the weekend.

David Seymour co-hosts The Country

David Seymour co-hosts The Country

09 Jul 02:22 AM
‘Clearly preventable’: Company, director sentenced over timber yard death

‘Clearly preventable’: Company, director sentenced over timber yard death

09 Jul 01:26 AM
'David and Goliath': Australian gold mine company makes $25m Central Otago land deal

'David and Goliath': Australian gold mine company makes $25m Central Otago land deal

09 Jul 12:54 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP