New Zealand's plans to fast-track residency for migrants is being criticised for leaving out lower paid migrants, many of whom are Pacific Islanders.
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The fast track policy focuses on 85 occupations from psychatrists to plumbers, in particular workers who earn more than twice the median wage.
However, it doesn't guarantee residency for minimum wage migrant workers.
The Green Party spokesperson for immigration, Ricardo Menéndez March, said the policy was discriminatory.
"They don't earn twice the median wage, they still deserve a pathway to residency, to put their roots in the community.
"So I'm really disappointed that many of the low wage workers were left out of having genuine pathways to residency, including many of our Pacific workers who are in low wage industries as well," Menéndez March said.
Meanwhile, a recent parliament select committee inquiry into the rights of RSE workers, alleges exploitation of Pacific Island RSE workers in New Zealand.
The committee reviewed a submission made by the Amalgamted Workers Union, which states poor accomodation conditions and unfair employment agreements with Pacific workers.
Menéndez March says reforms need to be implemented.
"The RSE scheme needs an overhaul, I mean we just have been hearing at our Parliament select committee meeting on migrant exploitation .... harrowing stories of the conditions that many RSE workers face. We need better conditions for RSE workers. We don't want to hear stories of overcrowded accomodations and not being afforded the same rights New Zealand citizen workers."
