Whanganui migrant workers may have a new pathway to residency

Peter Robinson says the visa announcement will help regional centres like Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley

A Whanganui immigration lawyer has welcomed the Government's announcement of a one-off residence pathway visa.

Peter Robinson, of Robinson and Associates, says the announcement recognised the fact there are a large number of people who are well settled in New Zealand and want to stay put.

"Rather than making them clog up the immigration system, or making them worry about leaving because they're not welcome, it says 'Thank you for working for us for the past 15-20 years, we aren't going to send you home'," Robinson said.

It was a good reset that was long overdue, he said.

"Most of the time I've been doing immigration work we've been losing more New Zealanders than we've been getting back, and the gaps are showing up right across the board."

Nationally, the one-off visa will create a residence pathway for about 165,000 migrant workers and their families who were stranded in New Zealand through the pandemic.

The visa would help regional economies such as Whanganui, Robinson said.

"A lot of the pathways previously have been for people who are working in a major centre.

"I'm feeling positive, although I expect the details won't be quite as generous as the minister's announcement make them appear."

For Whanganui District Health Board chief executive, Russell Simpson, Thursday's announcement was "excellent news".

More than 5000 health and aged-care workers around New Zealand will be eligible for the visa.

"There have been challenges for a number of our overseas workforce around immigration status, so this is very welcome," Simpson said.

"A lot of our emergency department workforce and specialist workforce are international medical graduates, and predominantly from [the United States].

"This will make things a lot easier for the continuity of our staffing."

Robinson said his office currently had around 120 active immigration files.

Whanganui District Health Board CEO, Russell Simpson. Photo / Stuart Munro

"For me, this is a sigh of relief.

"It was as if the Government had turned off the Niagara Falls of immigration, but the pressure was still building up.

"I was concerned that they would suddenly announce that the tap would be turned off permanently, or all criteria would be reset so everyone currently in the system would have to start again."

A group of his clients didn't have a pathway to residence up to this point.

"These are people like Halal slaughtermen at freezing works, beekeepers, and those in agriculture and horticulture management work," Robinson said.

"Their jobs have not been considered skilled, but they've been here for a number of years.

"We'll now be able to tell them that we think they've now got that pathway."

Simpson said having a worker firmly embedded in a team environment was very important.

"They understand the context of the New Zealand health system.

"People substituting in and out can often lead to delays in orientation and induction, and a range of other things we need to do to get them up to speed as a new person entering the country.

"Many of them come as a package deal as well, with a partner and children."

The visa will be available to most work-related visa holders, including Essential Skills, Work to Residence, and Post Study Work visas and their immediate family members.

To be eligible, the main applicant must have been in New Zealand on September 29, 2021, and must hold or have applied for (and subsequently be granted) one of the eligible work visas.

They must also meet one of the following criteria: lived in New Zealand for three or more years; earn above the median wage ($27 per hour or more); work in a role on the Long Term Skill Shortage List; hold occupational registration and work in the health or education sector; work in personal care or other critical health worker roles; or work in a specified role in the primary industries.