An immigration advisor supports the government's decision to loosen the rules around visas for Rugby World Cup workers.

A ONE News exclusive last night revealed that unskilled, English-speaking workers are being given no-questions asked extended visas in order to keep them in the country through the World Cup.

Bill Milnes, from Access Immigration New Zealand, told TV ONE's Breakfast that the government is taking a calculated risk.

"The government really wants to make sure that people leave New Zealand having had a fantastic experience and a part of the gamble they have taken is taking a balance between what is good for New Zealanders and what is good for New Zealand," he said.

ONE News has found that Immigration New Zealand has been encouraging migrants to take jobs created by the tournament, causing outrage among some Kiwi jobseekers.

But Milnes said: "Often you just can't get the right Kiwis at the right time."

Usually when someone applies to work in New Zealand, and their job offer does not specify an end date, they are given a 12-month visa.

But immigration officials have been told to make sure visas for low skilled jobs in hospitality and accommodation last until three weeks after the Rugby World Cup ends in October.

'Huge'

Milnes said the government's approach has to be appreciated because the RWC is "huge for New Zealand".

"It's party time and it's very, very big for New Zealand. And I think, looking at the big picture thing here, we opened a branch in Auckland recently, I took on extra staff not knowing what the programme would be and I suspect the government has done the same.

"The last thing they want people to do is leave New Zealand complaining about bad service, beds not being ready, having to queue for hours in restaurants," he said.

Immigration New Zealand refused to talk to ONE News on camera, but released a statement saying the visa extensions were to make sure employers would not be disadvantaged by staff having to leave work before the Cup.

But the department admitted the workforce could have coped with the demand, as the number of tourists will still be less than during the peak summer season.

Milnes said forecasts that the influx would be less than a peak summer season are not properly calculated because the large volume of visitors are here over a much shorter period.

"It is only a short time remember and a lot of Kiwis don't want to take a job for 6 weeks and then go back on the dole," he said.

Whether the vacancy is filled by a migrant or a Kiwi is irrelevant, Milnes said. "Because employers will have to pay market rate." He said because of that the employment playing field remained level.

Immigration New Zealand will also stop doing what it calls "labour market checks" in the coming months if there is still a perceived labour shortage. That means it will stop checking whether there is anyone in New Zealand qualified to do the jobs foreigners are applying to do.

Milnes also supports this saying the long and laborious checking system would not able to cope with volume of extra workers.

The Reserve Bank has projected the tournament will pump $700 million into the economy.

(Source TVNZ)

Our comment

Totally agree with above news item and comment from BMilnes, the ex-chair of the NZAMI. How can we grow as a nation when we are unable to sell ourselves to the outside world during the Rugby World Cup.