Locked-out New Zealanders outraged as visa scheme for rich foreigners resumes
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Re: Locked-out New Zealanders outraged as visa scheme for rich foreigners resumes
#2The last allocation of MIQ slots had 800+ rooms that were not taken. Anyone who urgently needed to return had the ability to secure a room in December.
When Omicron appeared and it hadn’t been detected within the community in NZ it was obvious the NZ government would make changes to delay its introduction by moving to tighten MIQ settings and delaying any removal of quarantine restrictions.
https://www.miq.govt.nz/about/news/miqs-12th-voucher-release...
Re: Locked-out New Zealanders outraged as visa scheme for rich foreigners resumes
#3The last allocation of MIQ slots had 800+ rooms that were not taken. Anyone who urgently needed to return had the ability to secure a room in December. When Omicron appeared and it hadn’t been detected within the community in NZ it was obvious the NZ government would make changes to delay its introduction by moving to tighten MIQ settings and delaying any removal of quarantine restrictions. https://www.miq.govt.nz/ab…
Anyone who urgently needed to return had the ability to secure a room in December.
I don't see how this is relevant.
Moving forward, citizens and migrant workers will still be forced to get in line behind wealthy investors.
Re: Locked-out New Zealanders outraged as visa scheme for rich foreigners resumes
#4It's funny because most countries have cautioned people not to leave right now and people just go anyways. No one is shedding tears when you are stuck because you couldn't wait for your budget vacation.
Re: Locked-out New Zealanders outraged as visa scheme for rich foreigners resumes
#5So what happens if you're a NZer who can not get a MIQ slot (which may have been more plentiful when you left), but your Visa in your current location is expiring?
Re: Locked-out New Zealanders outraged as visa scheme for rich foreigners resumes
#6So what happens if you're a NZer who can not get a MIQ slot (which may have been more plentiful when you left), but your Visa in your current location is expiring?
You have to plead with the country you're in. Or apply for one of the emergency slots the week you have to leave (pretty difficult at the moment given the flight schedules).
Or yano, deportation / imprisonment...
There's not many good solutions in this case and it is very difficult to match a reservation spot with an airline ticket out.
Re: Locked-out New Zealanders outraged as visa scheme for rich foreigners resumes
#7The last allocation of MIQ slots had 800+ rooms that were not taken. Anyone who urgently needed to return had the ability to secure a room in December. When Omicron appeared and it hadn’t been detected within the community in NZ it was obvious the NZ government would make changes to delay its introduction by moving to tighten MIQ settings and delaying any removal of quarantine restrictions. https://www.miq.govt.nz/ab…
Anyone who urgently needed to return had the ability to secure a room in December. I don't see how this is relevant. Moving forward, citizens and migrant workers will still be forced to get in line behind wealthy investors.
Amazing isn't it. We found out who exactly essential workers were (food service, transport, medical, teachers) and also how the rules imposed on all of us were remarkably selective based on wealth. I guess we knew it, but to have it demonstrated in such stark terms has been breathtaking.
Re: Locked-out New Zealanders outraged as visa scheme for rich foreigners resumes
#8It's funny because most countries have cautioned people not to leave right now and people just go anyways. No one is shedding tears when you are stuck because you couldn't wait for your budget vacation.
It's not always vacation. Many people have close family abroad that they want you see. Sometimes with medical issues so they may not get another chance.
I wouldn't travel if vacation was the only reason. Especially if I were living in NZ which is one of the most beautiful places on earth IMO
It's also kinda unfair to expect people to have seen Omikron coming :) with the distance to Europe most people from here in NZ only visit family once a year and often go for months. Suddenly returning would have been difficult and costly.
I'm surprised the fairly left-wing current NZ government is prioritising investors like this though.
Re: Locked-out New Zealanders outraged as visa scheme for rich foreigners resumes
#9I think the cat was out of the bag when kimdotcom was indicted. New Zealand is bought and paid for by the cloistered elite seemingly against any real argument by the locals.
You could make an argument the work here/look see initiative that imported skilled labor was somehow a counter indication of a plutocracy but I think its largely just salt in the wound for the average NZ resident as it ran defense for anyone who pointed a finger at silicon valley for buying their island oasis. They could have spent that money on stem education locally but outright chose not to.
Re: Locked-out New Zealanders outraged as visa scheme for rich foreigners resumes
#10>Immigration New Zealand (INZ) recently granted 32 visas to people who pledged to invest at least $10m locally over three years and another 76 visas to individuals pledging to invest at least $3m, according to the news website Stuff.
> With their visas in hand, investors may apply to compete for spots in New Zealand’s congested MIQ system. A stay in MIQ is a prerequisite for entry to the country, which has been largely closed to non-quarantined international travel since March 2020 to protect against Covid-19.
So… these people have pledged to invest huge sums of money into NZ and the end result is that they have to apply for the same MIQ spots as everyone else?
Seems the outrage should be directed at this MIQ system. The visa scheme seems to be an enormous benefit to NZ.