Migrants action on SMC backlog (and other visas)

[ogogo94]

Hi everyone,

I've been reading this forum for a long time now - but just yesterday got access to post here (thank you JandM).

A little bit about me and my partner. We applied for SMC residence in August last year (lodgement date - 13 August 2019) and our application doesn't fall under any priority criteria - so we stuck in this endless queue with no prospects of getting it processed in near future. With current rate of allocating non-priority applications (10 days worth of apps in 10 months), we should be planning to get our SMC sorted in 2040.

Yes, we've been waiting a lot less than those who applied in December 2018 and still didn't get their COs. But we are in the same boat - we also feel anxiety because of uncertain future and we also need to know what's Government plan on clearing this backlog. This is not a hundred people, not even a thousand - it is almost 30 000 applicants (population of Timaru or Blenheim) who're living in a limbo and feeling this pain every single day.

We all being used and betrayed by this Government. We all applied on legitimate grounds and should expect Government to be fair and act in accordance with legislation. But what do we see? We see instructions being changed every quarter to manipulate data. We see Government applying backdated instructions to applicants and resisting to acknowledge and act on the backlog problem. We see Government keeps accepting applications without any plan how this applications should be processed. Feels like for INZ it's just a business - and nothing to do with human lives.

We all should understand: nothing wrong to earn less than $51 an hour or work on a position without occupational registration. Nothing wrong to demand our rights as genuine taxpayers. Considering every principal applicant earning at least $25 an hour - this huge backlog pays at least $200M a year in taxes. Add working secondary applicant - and you get even bigger number.

We have rights. And we have rights to seek Government's response on this issue. We need to act. Our voices need to be heard. Idle hands are the devil's playground.

Thus, I would love each and everyone to share their opinion on current situation. Please share if we have any options to be heard by the Government. What should we do? Petition? - let's sign it. Open letter to MP, PM? - let's write it. PR and media support? - let's get attention. Protests? - let's gather together. There are 30 000 of us - every single one can participate and bring their mite to get this ball rolling.

We have rights and we should demand it. We are genuine. We applied legitimately. And we should be treated fairly.

[dnsuriya]

true, this is never going to end

a protest is the next option we have

[Zanique]

I agree 100% and am with you!

[squishmaster]

Yes ,we have to do something,make some noise so we are heard.
I am writing to Gill Bonnet from RNZ about this.
Please let me know if you guys have a better Idea.

[robbo1234]

https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/petitions/

We could create a petition here and get as many people as we can to sign it?

Although it does state on the website "If you have other legal options, like going to an Ombudsman or to court, your petition will not be accepted."
I'm not sure we can in this case??

[waigor]

Immigrant live matters.....

[Frankgo]

I am in with any option, but in my humble opinion we already tried the diplomatic way (writing to MPs, complains with immigration, writing to the media, complaints with the ombudsman etc) and it hasn't worked.

Maybe a Petition would put the subject out there, and is something easier to organize.

Personally, at this stage I would be also keen on hearing a lawyer's point of view on this matter as I think there is no transparency whatsoever with anything related to immigration anymore. If this wasn't a government agency, this would look like a collective scam, and a pretty big one if you look at how much money they received in applications fees.

[Brian_C]

https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/petitions/

We could create a petition here and get as many people as we can to sign it?

Although it does state on the website "If you have other legal options, like going to an Ombudsman or to court, your petition will not be accepted."
I'm not sure we can in this case??

Does anyone know how to create a formal petition? We will share and sign

Once the petition created that we should try to push it on mainstream media.

[desilva]

i 100% agree with all the comments above and would like to be part of the collective effort in getting justice !

[mike13]

I’m with you 100%... INZ is just playing with our lives.... Also i know 8-10 people in my group who going through same conditions. They’re happy to join anytime.