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Clint Williams, born in the United Kingdom, has worked for Formatt Bespoke Joinery Co, where he is a shop manager, for almost eight years.
During that time, he underwent two brain surgeries for cancerous tumors.
However, he is not only fully recovered from the last one, he is successfully competing at a high level in long distance races and triathlons, and is training for the full Taupo Ironman in March.
Last month, INZ rejected the 34-year-old’s application for an essential skills visa, for another three years, claiming his health is not of an acceptable standard and is very likely to be an additional burden on the public health system. in this period. .
That decision is currently on appeal.
Formatt co-owner Reuben Bogue calls INZ’s position “extremely unfair” and “cruel.”
“Clint has a condition, but we also know that he handles it very well, and I think he has a lot more to give.”
He says “there are very, very few with the level of experience and technical skills to do the job, so from a professional standpoint he sets the standard – certainly sets the standard on our floor.”
Co-owner Angela Spackman says that as required by INZ, they advertised their work to New Zealanders, but no one suitable showed up.
In a letter to INZ, she and Bogue state: “The shortage in the construction industry, coupled with upcoming ‘out of the box’ infrastructure projects, means Immigration NZ should not send proven workers with essential skills abroad.
“It would be economic mismanagement … to send skilled labor abroad.”
Spackman says Williams also trains his apprentices that the government is interested in implementing the system.
“I think he’s unbalanced because of what he’s contributing [versus] the costs you may incur.
“Who knows when you might need medical attention, we all could.”
She says that “on a day-to-day basis, Clint is an extremely healthy man.”
Using evidence from the Southern District Health Board, he refutes INZ’s claim that he will most likely need “expensive medical intervention in the next three years.”
Spackman says it’s also unfair to Williams’ UK-born partner, Pinewood Lodge manager Abi Barber, whose visa is tied to his.
The couple, Spackman and Bogue, have told Immigration, they are active members of the community and have raised funds for the Cancer Society.
Rather than being a burden on the healthcare system, they have made “a direct, significant and positive contribution.”
Spackman: “As a company, it is incredibly frustrating that we have a great member of staff who is doing a very good job for us, and we feel like the carpet is being pulled from us.
“It just doesn’t seem fair that someone who’s fit and healthy and as capable as Clint can’t be part of the fabric of NZ.”
Williams, a carpenter for 15 years, says the situation is stressful “because nothing can be planned, and there is always the fear, if it is rejected, how much time do I have before I have to leave?”
“I have eight years of my life here, so that’s it, I have nothing left in England.”
He adds that he and Barber have also submitted residency applications.
Nicola Hogg, general manager of border and visa operations at INZ, says he is “empathetic” to Williams’ situation and acknowledges that “he may be in reasonable health at the moment.”
However, it had needed “a significant neurosurgical intervention from the public health system for a brain tumor, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, in 2018.”
“The medical evaluation of your application found that there is an ongoing need to monitor the remaining brain tumors, and there is a high probability that it will require further medical intervention from the public health system, which is already under pressure and costly to provide.
“Therefore, it was confirmed that he did not have an acceptable level of health to obtain a temporary work visa.”
