28 Apr 2020

Coronavirus: Immigration officials hamstrung by government, industry claims

From Morning Report, 6:19 am on 28 April 2020

The immigration industry says officials are being hamstrung by the government in their efforts to sort out visa problems.

Immigration New Zealand quickly renewed temporary visas expiring from April to July.

But the Association for Migration and Investment says that does not help immigrants who lost their job and are in the dark about their next move.

Its chair, June Ranson, says others, who were on overseas holidays when the border closed, have lived here for many years - and do not know what to do about their homes, cars and other possessions.

She says they - and people who had shipped their belongings to start work here - are in no man's land.