Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Migrant Lives Matter Rally

The team of five million successful in beating Covid-19 also consists of about 350,000 temporary visa holding migrants.

About 42,000 temporary visa workers are stranded overseas due to Aotearoa's border closure. Many have NZ born children and all of their personal belongings here. Their future is uncertain as they continue to pay rent and bills in NZ as well the countries they are stuck in. In the meantime these workers have been replaced because their employers can't wait forever.

Visa workers in NZ are not any better. Most have their work visas attached to their jobs. Cuts due to the economic downturn have left many without jobs. No job means no visa for these workers. They have no source of income and they are not eligible for benefits.

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, many migrants took to the streets to oppose INZ’s unacceptably long visa processing times. The issue of visa processing delays still remains largely unresolved.

Therefore we demand that:
1) All temporary visa holders stranded offshore are given visa extensions equal to the duration of border closure
2) All visas attached to employers are opened so that migrants have the flexibility to work wherever they can find jobs
3) Emergency benefits are provided to all jobless migrants onshore and offshore by enacting section 64 of the Social Security Act

4) Visa processing delays are minimised with immediate effect

Joins us for a rally on Sunday 12 July, from 1pm to 2pm at Aotea Square, Auckland.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

Featured News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.