While these migrants are waiting, they cannot open a KiwiSaver account, they cannot buy a house and, crucially, they cannot bring in their family. The total queue of applications for residence from migrants already in the country exceeds 10,000 people. It affects all walks of life, including many of those areas in which New Zealand desperately needs skilled workers. The Government is effectively forcing skilled migrants to leave the country, while trying to find space in MIQ for other foreign workers to replace them. In a first instance, the Government should apologise to the thousands of migrants and their families for the distress caused.

Source: Stuff August 02, 2021 04:00 UTC