Team looks at why few Tongans have won New Zealand residency [1]
Friday, July 2, 2004 - 16:40. Updated on Monday, May 5, 2014 - 15:36.
Steve Cantlon, the Service Manager of the New Zealand Immigration Service in Suva, Fiji, and Nicola Ngawati, the Policy Officer of the Pacific Division, Wellington, New Zealand arrived in Tonga on July 1 for a one day visit.
They were assessing the New Zealand government Pacific Access Category PAC emigration scheme which was launched in 2002, giving four island countries an annual quota for the nationals from each countries to become a resident of New Zealand. Under the PAC scheme the quota for Tonga was 250, Fiji 250, Tuvalu 75, Kiribati 75.
Since the scheme was launched few Tongans have been granted New Zealand residency status. Jan Jeffery, the Service Manager of the Nuku'alofa Branch of New Zealand Immigration Service said that so far this year only one Tongan applicant had been granted NZ residency status.
Steve and Nicola's one-day stop over was to get some feed back from people in Tonga about the scheme, and why so few people have succeeded in becoming New Zealand residents.
One of the requirements under the scheme is a confirmed employment in New Zealand with a minimum weekly income of $599.50, a requirement which may be difficult even if you have the qualification. Jan said that she had also experienced the problem when a job was secured but when the applicant arrived in New Zealand, the company has gone bankrupt.
Steve and Nicola visited all the four island countries covered by the PAC scheme and their report will be presented to the New Zealand Cabinet later this month.