Migrant workers to receive emergency benefits

Friday, 20 November 2020

Union Network of Migrants president Mandeep Bela (right) says many migrants still in the country want to help plug the labour shortage but need continued financial support.

Migrant workers have won their battle for further temporary financial support.

The Government has announced that from December 1, emergency benefits will be available for people on temporary work, student or visitor visas who cannot return home or support themselves.

Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni said the emergency benefits would be available until the end of February to help people with their basic needs while they tried to return home if they could not find employment.

“Even though the employment outlook and frequency of international flights have improved greatly since we came out of lockdown, some people on temporary visas are still unable to return to their home country and are in hardship because of lost jobs, illness or other unforeseen events,” she said.

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She said that under pandemic provisions, the Government was able to make the move without changing the law.

Earlier in the day, UNEMIG (United Network of Migrant Workers) called for the Government to trigger a section of the Social Securities Act to give migrants access to the benefits.

The workers were concerned because a scheme set up to help temporary visa holders was coming to an end this month.

The programme, called Manaaki Manuhiri, was funded by Internal Affairs and run by the Red Cross. Since mid-year, it has supported more than 12,300 people with basic needs like food and accommodation.

One migrant, Alex Pajadora, a plumber from the Philippines, said through a translator that he had been in the country for 16 months.

He went from full-time work to half his earnings and after the wage subsidy ran out, he was made redundant.

Pajadora said he was very grateful for the Red Cross' support with rent and food vouchers, and wanted to stay so he could to help with the labour shortage and send money back home.

Mikee Santos, chairman of Migrante Aotearoa, said demand for migrant workers was already very high.

''We are very confident that when we're out of Covid, and [now] the election is done, employers will hire again, because build, build, build is back, and we need migrant workers in those roles. They will play a significant role in New Zealand construction and to help New Zealand out of this recession.''

UNEMIG president Mandeep Bela said the assistance was welcome, as many migrants were in tricky situations and could help with the growing labour shortage.

'Migrants have been the first workers to be terminated or have their hours cut during the Covid-19 crisis, but it’s also becoming increasingly clear that some of New Zealand’s key industries want our labour to plug the shortage and keep the economy moving,' he said.

Bela said returning home was not easy for many migrants because the flights to their countries didn't exist or were problematic because they needed to pass through other countries.

Prior to the pandemic, he said many of the migrants still in New Zealand had been on pathways to residency or to longer term visas.

As lockdown fell, ‘’we had stories of migrant who lost jobs and they didn’t know where to go and there was one migrant who actually ended up sleeping on the road. There were other stories of [people] struggling unable to pay the rent and bills’’.

The new benefit comes with some eligibility criteria, including the level of a person's assets and the level of hardship.

Applicants must be on a current, temporary visa such as a visitor, student or work visa, not a sponsored visa, and are expected to actively look for work or other support, which might include returning home when they can.

Sepuloni said her ministry would help link migrants with suitable temporary jobs ''with a particular focus on places where we have workforce shortages, including seasonal work, wherever possible.

Rachel O’Connor, the project lead on the Red Cross Manaaki Manuhiri scheme, said it had helped thousands of people who did not have access to wage subsidies or were unable to book a flight home.

‘’We have provided in-kind assistance through food vouchers, Warehouse vouchers and winter warmer packs. We have a dedicated contact centre, who have received over 40,000 inbound and outbound calls, and a specialised case management team that provides additional support.’’

'’We also have face-to-face teams across the country, assisting applicants, making sure their needs are taken care of.’’