NZ immigration websites have been hit by thousands of visits from US citizens since the Supreme Court’s decision on abortion law. The Court struck down a 50 year old decision (called Roe v. Wade). That decision legalised abortion on a federal basis. The upshot is individual states can now ban the procedure. Since the Supreme Read more
By the end of this year, the country will have more new residents than any other year on record. Almost 200,000 people have now applied to become residents under the fast-track visa, and one in four has been approved. Immigration figures show New Zealand has created more residents in the last six months than any Read more
The pope’s visit to migrants and asylum seekers in Ħal Far has sparked outrage among many Facebook users who rejected his appeal for charity and overwhelmingly told him to take migrants back with him to the Vatican. During his two-day visit to Malta, the pontiff visited the Peace Lab in Ħal Far where he met Read more
Restauranters and café owners in New Zealand turned off their lights this week highlighting their staff shortages and inability to bring in labour from overseas. It is a labour shortage echoed by a local priest! “I wonder if I should turn out the lights in Church on Sunday?” he asked. The priest does not want Read more
The state of our national game, and what is best for its future, has generated a lot of recent debate. But there are some contributing factors that might not have had the attention they deserve. The demography of New Zealand is changing, with major implications for rugby, especially for player participation. The impacts of immigration Read more
A 97-year-old woman is among those who fear they will be deported to countries ravaged by coronavirus. Others are in their 70s and 80s and say they face a life of fear and isolation if they have to return to their homelands. They’re among thousands of people affected by the Government freeze on Immigration New Read more
Wealthy foreigners looking for residency status are being courted by New Zealand as prospective immigrants. Stuff reports, a team of five immigration officials – including one in Europe and another in North America –are still promoting “investor interest in New Zealand” so high net-worth investors can enter the country as soon as the borders re-open. Read more
Overseas workers are being ‘consigned to the rubbish heap’ after the government left them with no option except returning home, according to an immigration adviser. Skilled migrants stuck in lengthy queues for residence have been told if they are not eligible for another temporary visa while they wait, they will have to leave. Anthea Razack, Read more
In the past two weeks, a former refugee family stepped into one of our churches. They were days away from the end of their short-term lease and had nowhere to go. The rental market in Wellington was so tough, they said, in this season. Did we have anywhere they could stay? Even if it just Read more
The pandemic has highlighted that immigrants are essential to the fabric of our society, Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ says. Czerny, who has been the under-secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development’s Migrants and Refugees Section since 2017, is urging people to develop local solutions to address the needs of immigrant and refugee Read more