Statistics provided to 1News showing Pacific Islanders make up over half of all declined visitor visa applicants lead some critics to allege Immigration New Zealand is discriminating against Pasifika. From August to October, nearly 1500 visa applications from 68 countries were declined and over half of those were from nine Pacific countries. The disparity is clear in the numbers from that period: Of 1299 applications by visitors from Tonga, 224 were declined. In comparison, of the 1398 applications for visitor visas by people from Thailand, only six were declined. Photo / FileMinister of Immigration Michael Wood told 1News immigration officials assessed individual applications and made calls based on any evidence they had.

Source: New Zealand Herald November 02, 2022 02:59 UTC