# Skilled migrants feel misled by work-visa policy



## Darla.R

Some fellow posters on this forum were asking about the Silver Fern work visa recently, I thought they may find this useful

Skilled migrants feel misled by work-visa policy - Lincoln Tan - NZ Herald News

"Bangkok university lecturer Chanon Jitkomut thought his Silver Fern work visa was a ticket to a job and a better life in New Zealand. 

But the only opportunities the 33-year-old science graduate has found since arriving last month have been low paid and unskilled, including a food-court job that paid $6 an hour. 

The visa policy was started to attract young, highly skilled migrants to settle in the country to give "businesses international connections" and "provide skills to transform our economic landscape". 

Hundreds of people lodged applications within 30 minutes of the scheme's launch, but many who have arrived are struggling to find work. 

A 34-year-old former business analyst with a multinational company is now working as a stripper to pay her rent. 

Another who holds a master's degree in economics is working in a Korean restaurant for $400 a week. 

Both resigned from jobs and took on loans to move to New Zealand. But they do not want to return home because they would lose face.

"The Silver Fern visa is like a trap," said Mr Chanon, a former hospitality lecturer at Suan Dusit Rajabhat University. "It gives you false hope and puts you in a position where you can easily be exploited as cheap labour by employers after you get here. 

"I am desperate and I will take any job I can get, even if it is under minimum wage, because I have a wife and child in Thailand waiting for me to send money." 

Under the Silver Fern scheme, people aged 20 to 35 can seek skilled employment for nine months. Once employed, they are issued with a visa to stay another two years to apply for permanent residency. The scheme has an annual quota of 300. 

Of the 293 visas issued last year, only 85 people have found work or received a job offer. Eighty have not found employment, 70 have left the country and 58 have yet to arrive. 

Immigration New Zealand said the scheme had attracted young, skilled people despite the tight job market. 

"It does not guarantee them employment," said Immigration NZ chief Nigel Bickle. 

"We'd advise them to research the labour market thoroughly to ensure jobs that match their skills and experience are available." 

The National Distribution Union said the scheme was flawed, and it wants Immigration New Zealand to review it. 

"All that's been happening is a repeat of the 'rocket scientists driving taxis' situation and clearly, many of those who came under the scheme feel they have been misled," said migrant support co-ordinator Dennis Maga. 

Immigration New Zealand does not plan to review the policy."


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## karimax

oh boy.... this is a big problem....


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## topcat83

I'm afraid it just highlights one thing - that just because you have a visa it doesn't guarantee you work. The people who come on this visa have the opportunity to come and find work - but if it isn't there in their particular field, then it isn't there. If they came over on a permanent residents visa with no job, they would be in the same situation - but I bet they'd still do it (we did). 

I'm afraid that's just life.


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## Darla.R

The Silver Fern visa is a job search visa aimed at highly skilled young(ish) people with degrees and trades qualifications.

Only 300 of these visas are given out every year and only a small proportion of the holders find work within the limited life of the visa (9 months) only 85 found employment and most of them are most likely doing unskilled work.

It's a little bit more than 'just life' when business analysts become strippers, economics masters wait tables and science graduates wipe tables in food courts. 

So many skills and talent going to waste, New Zealand obviously has no need for them.

Perhaps they'd be better looking for work in the dairy industry and primary food production as they seem to be the only sectors that are thriving in New Zealand at present.


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## topcat83

Darla.R said:


> The Silver Fern visa is a job search visa aimed at highly skilled young(ish) people with degrees and trades qualifications.
> 
> Only 300 of these visas are given out every year and only a small proportion of the holders find work within the limited life of the visa (9 months) only 85 found employment and most of them are most likely doing unskilled work.
> 
> It's a little bit more than 'just life' when business analysts become strippers, economics masters wait tables and science graduates wipe tables in food courts.
> 
> So many skills and talent going to waste, New Zealand obviously has no need for them.
> 
> Perhaps they'd be better looking for work in the dairy industry and primary food production as they seem to be the only sectors that are thriving in New Zealand at present.


How many of the applicants were looking at the visas as an opportunity for a working holiday, and were Ok with working in the hospitality industry for a while? And how come only 85 of them found employment at all? There are jobs out there - albeit not necessarily in their areas of expertise. 

I'm not saying that applied to all of them - I can't think of many who'd be a stripper from choice - but a business analyst who wants to find a short-term contract should have no problems if they have the right skills (that's what I do - short term contracts). In some industries, I think the length of the visa wouldn't help - many employers don't want to take on skilled people for just 9 months, with no guarantee that they'll stay at the end. Also, as we've said before, having a qualification doesn't necessarily make you suitable for a job. A qualification is a very small part of what I look for in a job applicant.


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## Darla.R

topcat83 said:


> How many of the applicants were looking at the visas as an opportunity for a working holiday, and were Ok with working in the hospitality industry for a while? And how come only 85 of them found employment at all? There are jobs out there - albeit not necessarily in their areas of expertise.


But if they wanted low paid jobs in the hospitality industry they would have applied for working holiday visas, which are far more suitable and last for more than 9 months.

Yes I agree with you, there are jobs out there, just not for skilled immigrants.

Silver Fern visas should make it very easy for an educated and skilled person to find a job, the employer doesn't even have to market test the position and seek a New Zealander to do the work. 

Once the applicant has a job they can then apply for an extension to their visa that will allow them to work for a further 2 years, presumably they may also submit an EOI at any time.

It's alarming to see experienced people resigning from jobs and taking out loans to be able to work in New Zealand only to end up working in strip joints. Probably because they lack that all important "New Zealand experience"


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