Covid 19 coronavirus: INZ reassesses when it can resume the main category

Immigration New Zealand will look into when it can resume processing parent-category visas after calls from applicants wanting to move their parents here during the pandemic.

The plan that provides an avenue for migrants to sponsor their parents to live in New Zealand was reopened in February, but was suspended due to Covid-19. There are about 6,000 applicants on the waiting list.

“INZ understands the impact that Covid-19 and border restrictions have had on some migrants and their loved ones,” an INZ spokeswoman said.

The category was stopped by the previous government in 2016 and reopened in February with new criteria where the salary of a single person must be more than $ 106,080 to bring in one parent or $ 159,120 for two.

A couple needed a combined income of $ 159,120 or $ 212,160 respectively.

It is estimated that about 80 percent of people on the waiting list would not meet the new income requirements.

INZ began selecting expressions of interest from May, but selections have been suspended until further notice due to the virus outbreak.

“INZ continues to reevaluate and determine when these programs can resume,” the spokeswoman said.

An Indian businessman, who makes enough to meet the income threshold to sponsor his 76-year-old mother, says he is desperate to bring her in.

“The coronavirus situation is out of control in India and I am very concerned about it,” said the man, who did not want to be identified for fear that it could affect his mother’s request.

“What we need is for INZ to act now and resume processing so that we can bring our loved ones here, and not wait until the pandemic is over.”

In India, the number of Covid-19 cases is approaching 4.8 million and nearly 79,000 deaths.

Another sponsor, Caroline Plowman, is also calling for the processing of the category to be resumed so that her parents, Harry Altmann, 72, and his wife Annie, 69, can remain in New Zealand.

The couple have submitted expressions of interest to apply under the category, but are currently in the country on an extended visitor visa.

Plowman said the uncertainty and fear of being forced out of New Zealand is very stressful for her parents.

The INZ spokeswoman said the couple currently have valid visitor visas that were extended earlier this year until September 25.

“Visitor visas that expire before the end of October will be automatically extended for five months … this will allow them to stay in New Zealand legally,” he said.

“INZ hopes to contact all the people whose visitor visas were extended by the end of this week.”

However, critical purpose visa holders, student guardians and associates linked to a work visa holder whose visa was previously extended are excluded from the extensions.

The government also agreed to pay for repatriation flights for migrants who are stranded here and cannot afford plane tickets to fly home.

These include workers who have lost their jobs and visitors who have run out of funds.

The New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment estimates that around 7,000 people could accept the offer.

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Meanwhile, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announced on Saturday that the criteria for foreign workers to cross the border will be relaxed.

The government will remove the requirement that “skills, qualifications or work experience have been acquired abroad.”

“Removing that requirement will allow entry, in some limited cases, where, for example, a worker has skills obtainable in New Zealand but has unique experience gained abroad that would bring unique expertise to companies from New Zealand, “Faafoi said.

He said the change would allow companies access to critical staff whose skills cannot be easily obtained here.