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Philippines to warn would-be job-seekers

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engr2008

Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 321
Location: Auckland

Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:22 am Post subject: Philippines to warn would-be job-seekers

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10622938 Philippines to warn would-be job-seekers By Lincoln Tan View as one page 4:00 AM Friday Jan 29, 2010 The Philippines will place an advisory on its Foreign Affairs Ministry website warning its citizens about the perils of moving to New Zealand on the work-to-residence scheme. Under the scheme, applicants have nine months to come to New Zealand to seek skilled employment, and those who succeed qualify to apply for permanent residency. Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman says it is made clear to applicants that there are no guarantees of work, job offers or residence. But Philippines consul-general Emilie Shi says Immigration New Zealand is not doing enough to warn would-be applicants about the difficulties of finding a job or telling them that Kiwis will be given preference by employers. "Immigration New Zealand continues to say what a great place this country is to come live and work in, but they cover up the fact that it is very difficult to find a job here, or that they will be treated as second-class workers under the scheme," Ms Shi said. "The work-to-residence is a myopic policy, because even if these migrants prove their worth in their jobs, employers cannot renew their contracts when their work permits expire, and have to first offer their jobs to Kiwis." She said this made those who came on the work-to-residence scheme less attractive to local employers because they would not have "smooth continuity" in their business operations if they employed these migrant workers. Last year, a third of those who came from the Philippines under the policy failed to find skilled employment. Filipinos form the largest group making use of the scheme - 63 per cent of the 681 applicants. Many have sold everything to move to New Zealand in the hope of setting up a new life, and Ms Shi says her office in Takapuna on Auckland's North Shore has been seeing at least one new case daily since September. She said the policy was causing a lot of grief and anguish among Filipinos because many had sold everything to come and now faced a situation where they could not afford to return home or even send their children to school. Ms Shi said desperate applicants were paying up to $40,000 to unscrupulous agents in her country who sold them hope of New Zealand residency, which was why many were prepared to sell their homes and belongings to come. "These people hope that once one person can get residency, they will be able to sponsor their family members to also come here under Immigration's family policy," Ms Shi said.

levi

Joined: 16 Oct 2006
Posts: 1030
Location: Auckland Central, New Zealand

Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:53 am Post subject: Second page of above article

"The embassy will be recommending to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to not allow any more of our citizens to come to New Zealand if they are not qualified, and we will be putting an advisory warning on the website." Dr Coleman would not comment on the proposed advisory, but defended the work-to-residence scheme and said there were no plans to discontinue it. He said that each month about 70 work-to-residence permits were issued and research by Immigration New Zealand showed that at least two-thirds of these migrants could be expected to gain permanent residence, despite 44 per cent who came under the scheme failing to find skilled employment last year. NOT WORKING OUT Work-to-residence scheme, 2009 Top source countries for applications approved: * Philippines: 281 (74 per cent) * Great Britain: 25 (7 per cent) * India: 22 (6 per cent) * China: 11 (3 per cent) * Malaysia: 11 (3 per cent) * Total: WTR applicants: 681 Top source countries of migrants who failed to find skilled employment: * Philippines: 150 (50 per cent) * Singapore: 43 (14 per cent) * Malaysia: 22 (7 per cent) * India: 21 (7 per cent) * Great Britain: 15 (5 per cent) -Personal comment: Ok, I am not a math wizard, but isn't the percentage listed on the article incorrect? Like the statistics for the Philippines. Out of 681 applicants for the WTR scheme, 281 were from the Philippines. That's only 41.26% right? (281/681= .04126 * 100% = 41.26) and not 70%? Even if we just tally the number of applicants for those 5 countries mentioned, then the percentage for the Philippines is now 80% and not 70%?

tawapinoy

Joined: 09 Jul 2008
Posts: 22

Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:17 pm Post subject:

Over-all failure rate is 44%, although it is "only" 35% for Pinoys. If you are going to forsake your career, income and comforts in the Philippines, would you do it knowing that there is a 1 in 3 chance that you will fail? Not even talking about failing in settling down in NZ but failing in even getting a PR! If you pass the screening in Australia or Canada, your odds of getting a PR is 100%. Interesting to note that the decline rate for those coming from Great Britain is around 37.5%, India is 50%, Malaysia is 67%. Singapore, if you generously assume that 10 were given PR last year (since the lowest in the top 5 - Malaysia - had 11 approvals), had a decline rate of at least 81%. WOW!! There's an ongoing brouhaha here in NZ regarding dogs being killed by a bunch of losers and everyone is really indignant about it. Contrast that with the indifference in NZ about the plight of human beings being negatively impacted by the WTR policy. The way NZ is playing with the lives of people via the WTR scheme is no less inhumane. A lot of lives - the homo sapiens variety - were destroyed by the WTR scheme last year.

reosilver

Joined: 05 Apr 2009
Posts: 49

Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:25 pm Post subject:

This is good at least ma stop na ang mga paghihirap ng mga kabayan natin

MrsMe_

Joined: 11 Mar 2008
Posts: 9

Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 11:32 am Post subject: Advocate return of two years

What I want to see is not the ceasing of the SMC process, as it is a good avenue to migrate, but an advocacy to revert the two year WTR permit for SMC applicants. Two years is an ample time to get a migrate adjust to the kiwi life, gain NZ work experience, and secure a skilled employment. I am preparing a submission to INZ and would like to hear your comments/contributions, please email me at nzihelpservice@xtra.co.nz This submission is about the SMC process, timeliness, requirements and decision. Would be grateful if you can contribute.

levi

Joined: 16 Oct 2006
Posts: 1030
Location: Auckland Central, New Zealand

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 12:14 pm Post subject: Re: Advocate return of two years

MrsMe_ wrote:

What I want to see is not the ceasing of the SMC process, as it is a good avenue to migrate, but an advocacy to revert the two year WTR permit for SMC applicants. Two years is an ample time to get a migrate adjust to the kiwi life, gain NZ work experience, and secure a skilled employment.

I am preparing a submission to INZ and would like to hear your comments/contributions, please email me at nzihelpservice@xtra.co.nz

This submission is about the SMC process, timeliness, requirements and decision. Would be grateful if you can contribute.

Why not take it a step further and request for provisional permanent residency?

Migrants could be given two year provisional permanent residency and will be full residents once they acquire skilled work within two years. They are provisional in the sense that they are residents but cannot avail the benefits of full residents such as free healthcare, student loan and/or allowance, and unemployment benefits, or they get limited access to them if they start paying taxes (working while applying for skilled work). They get full benefits once they have skilled work. This will help especially those with young children since the children will now be considered domestic students.

This might be a better option since they are recognized as residents right away, not as migrants with work visas. The recession is still gripping new zealand and the "kiwi first" policy is still in place in the workplace. If employers see that they are residents they will be encouraged to hire them.

MrsMe_

Joined: 11 Mar 2008
Posts: 9

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:22 am Post subject:

Hi Levi. Points taken, I reckon that it's the ideal thing. However there have been studies that migrants (in the past) did not take employment in their fields, and have been "using" the system. We should remember that the benefits that NZ wants is for the country as a whole and not just on individual applicant. Between two evils, I say two years deferral is better to enable WTR applicants to use medical benefits at least.

levi

Joined: 16 Oct 2006
Posts: 1030
Location: Auckland Central, New Zealand

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:51 am Post subject:

MrsMe_ wrote:

Hi Levi.

Points taken, I reckon that it's the ideal thing. However there have been studies that migrants (in the past) did not take employment in their fields, and have been "using" the system. We should remember that the benefits that NZ wants is for the country as a whole and not just on individual applicant.

Between two evils, I say two years deferral is better to enable WTR applicants to use medical benefits at least.

My suggestion of a provisional permanent residency visa rests upon the condition that in order to become full residents with all the benefits and responsibilities, they must secure work in the area they applied for in the skilled migrant category.

Of course, they can find other work (related or unrelated to their skill) during job-hunting to defray their expenses. But bottom deal is they should get skilled employment within two years, otherwise, they will not become full residents and their application should be denied.

With our current health care system overburdened, I am unsure the government will agree to revert to two years work visa. In their minds, this will make unnecessary demands on the health care system. In their minds, work visa holders are temporary residents and therefore not accountable under the system.

With that in mind, maybe the rules can be made for the provisional resident visa:

1. They must secure skilled work during two years, although they can get work unrelated to their skill in the meantime while looking for skilled work so they will not be a burden to the system;

2. If they secure any work during that two year period (related or unrelated to their skill), they are now taxpayers able to contribute to the system. These workers should either be given:
a. restricted access to health care (for emergencies, local rates for doctor visits, midwives, etc.);
b. given local rates on health care insurance like southern cross; or
c. apply for health care rebates once their residency becomes final.

tawapinoy

Joined: 09 Jul 2008
Posts: 22

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:57 am Post subject:

Quote:

NZ unemployment climbs to almost 170,000 February 4, 2010 - 9:34AM
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NZPA

New Zealand's unemployment rate hit 7.3 per cent in the December quarter, up from 6.5 per cent, its highest level since the June 1999 quarter.

The Household Labour Force Survey, published today, showed those people officially without jobs jumped 18,000 to 168,000. This was double the Labour Department forecast of a 9000 increase.

The unemployment rate was now at its highest level since the June 1999 quarter, said Government Statistician Geoff Bascand.

The increase was mainly due to a rise in the number of people entering the labour force but unable to find work, he said.

During the past year, the increase in jobless was particularly marked among young people (aged 15-24), with the unemployment rate for this group rising 6.4 percentage points to reach 18.4 per cent.

The rate also remains high for Maori (15.4 per cent), Pacific Islanders (14 per cent), and Middle Eastern/Latin American/African (17.1 per cent). The unemployment rate for NZ Europeans stands at 4.6 per cent.

The number of people with jobs dropped by 2000 or 0.1 per cent during the latest quarter, compared with a 16,000 decline in the previous quarter.

Over the past year, employment fell by 53,000 or 2.4 per cent, with the greatest slide in the Auckland and Canterbury regions.

The New Zealand dollar dived half a US cent straight after the jobless figure was released.

© 2010 NZPA

Still not a good time for anyone looking for work in NZ. More interesting is the racial breakdown. For Caucasians, it's as if the recession did not occur at all. For people of color -and make no mistake, we are people of color despite some Pinoys having pathetic aspirations to be white - it's a bit different. Apologists will spin it in any way but, it is hard not to draw the logical conclusion that race is a big part of the equation here in NZ.

philidor

Joined: 02 Jun 2008
Posts: 278

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 6:02 pm Post subject: Re: Advocate return of two years

[quote="levi"] Migrants could be given two year provisional permanent residency and will be full residents once they acquire skilled work within two years. They are provisional in the sense that they are residents but cannot avail the benefits of full residents such as free healthcare, student loan and/or allowance, and unemployment benefits, or they get limited access to them if they start paying taxes (working while applying for skilled work). They get full benefits once they have skilled work. This will help especially those with young children since the children will now be considered domestic students. quote] hi levi, isn't this just sugar coating the wtr permit by calling it provisional residency? the terms are basically the same with a wtr permit except for the 2year period (since most are given 9months wtr). just asking coz some employers might see the "provisional" residency the same way they look at wtr permits, unacceptable and a bother since these people can still be declined PR status.

levi

Joined: 16 Oct 2006
Posts: 1030
Location: Auckland Central, New Zealand

Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:41 am Post subject: Re: Advocate return of two years

[quote="philidor"]

levi wrote:

Migrants could be given two year provisional permanent residency and will be full residents once they acquire skilled work within two years. They are provisional in the sense that they are residents but cannot avail the benefits of full residents such as free healthcare, student loan and/or allowance, and unemployment benefits, or they get limited access to them if they start paying taxes (working while applying for skilled work). They get full benefits once they have skilled work. This will help especially those with young children since the children will now be considered domestic students.
quote]

hi levi,

isn't this just sugar coating the wtr permit by calling it provisional residency? the terms are basically the same with a wtr permit except for the 2year period (since most are given 9months wtr).

just asking coz some employers might see the "provisional" residency the same way they look at wtr permits, unacceptable and a bother since these people can still be declined PR status.

Of course, if a Kiwi citizen or resident is ready, willing and able to perform the job, he/she is given preference. But as against a "provisional" resident and a work visa holder, who do you think would be preferred?

We could just suggest that the list the visa list the number, not the title of the visa so that employers will not be "confused."

ambcw

Joined: 27 Jun 2006
Posts: 38
Location: New Zealand

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 7:34 pm Post subject: Re: Philippines to warn would-be job-seekers

engr2008 wrote:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10622938

Philippines to warn would-be job-seekers
By Lincoln Tan View as one page
4:00 AM Friday Jan 29, 2010

The Philippines will place an advisory on its Foreign Affairs Ministry website warning its citizens about the perils of moving to New Zealand on the work-to-residence scheme.

Under the scheme, applicants have nine months to come to New Zealand to seek skilled employment, and those who succeed qualify to apply for permanent residency.

Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman says it is made clear to applicants that there are no guarantees of work, job offers or residence.

But Philippines consul-general Emilie Shi says Immigration New Zealand is not doing enough to warn would-be applicants about the difficulties of finding a job or telling them that Kiwis will be given preference by employers.

"Immigration New Zealand continues to say what a great place this country is to come live and work in, but they cover up the fact that it is very difficult to find a job here, or that they will be treated as second-class workers under the scheme," Ms Shi said.

"The work-to-residence is a myopic policy, because even if these migrants prove their worth in their jobs, employers cannot renew their contracts when their work permits expire, and have to first offer their jobs to Kiwis."

She said this made those who came on the work-to-residence scheme less attractive to local employers because they would not have "smooth continuity" in their business operations if they employed these migrant workers.

Last year, a third of those who came from the Philippines under the policy failed to find skilled employment.

Filipinos form the largest group making use of the scheme - 63 per cent of the 681 applicants.

Many have sold everything to move to New Zealand in the hope of setting up a new life, and Ms Shi says her office in Takapuna on Auckland's North Shore has been seeing at least one new case daily since September.

She said the policy was causing a lot of grief and anguish among Filipinos because many had sold everything to come and now faced a situation where they could not afford to return home or even send their children to school.

Ms Shi said desperate applicants were paying up to $40,000 to unscrupulous agents in her country who sold them hope of New Zealand residency, which was why many were prepared to sell their homes and belongings to come.

"These people hope that once one person can get residency, they will be able to sponsor their family members to also come here under Immigration's family policy," Ms Shi said.

I'm totally agree with Ms Shi, many migrants are now facing problems and misery because of job hunting issues. Most of my friends didn't able to get a relevant job during the deferral period and end up applying for work permit but others sent back to philippines with nothing but a broken dreams.

For those who aspire to migrate here in NZ, please do your homework and prepare yourself. search your relevant jobs, get the skills needed and do some trainings while in Philippines.

Cheers
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