The status of Temporary visa holders after Covid-19 lockdown
On March 25, 2020, the New Zealand government announced that temporary visas would be automatically extended to late September. This comes into effect from Thursday, April 2, 2020. Travellers with a temporary work, student, visitor, interim and limited, visa expiring before April 1, 2020, who are unable to leave New Zealand must apply online for a new visa. More information and the latest updates are on the official Covid-19 NZ website.
Large number without status
========================
More than one-in-16 people in New Zealand today – or more than 300,000 in total – is a migrant without residence status, living here on a temporary work, student or family visa. Many of those migrants fill key roles that will help us through this COVID-19 pandemic. Care workers, nurses, doctors, truck drivers, farm workers and fruit pickers are just a few examples. It is a similar story in many other countries. There are more than 2 million people on temporary visas in Australia – including 600,000 New Zealanders. For New Zealand to have its best shot at containing community spread of coronavirus, and to strengthen its case to Australia and other governments to look after New Zealanders abroad, we need to act now to look after all people in New Zealand. That means guaranteeing temporary visa holders access to health and social services for the duration of this COVID-19 crisis. It is not only the right thing to do but also the best thing that we can do for our nation’s health. It also strengthens our government’s ability to demand better care for the approximately 1 million New Zealanders living, studying or working overseas. Closing borders minimises the risk of transmission and protects national populations, as Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters made clear in his call for travelling New Zealand citizens and residents to return home.
Border closure effect
=================
But it is also true that border closures now in force across our region and around the world have left millions of migrants working or studying abroad stranded away from home, with unequal or uncertain access to health care and other critical services. These border restrictions will halt migration flows in unprecedented ways. Globally, between 2010 and 2019 an additional 51 million people became international migrants. To respond effectively to COVID-19, governments worldwide need to seriously consider the migrants in their midst. New Zealand is no exception. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, 303,453 people were living in New Zealand on temporary work, student or family visas at the end of February 2020. This represents about 6% of the resident population. Ten years ago, only 155,931 people were on temporary visas.
Limited rights
============
Most countries, including New Zealand, either delay and restrict access to citizenship for migrants, or do not offer it at all. This means a large proportion of these people have relatively limited rights. Temporary visa holders in New Zealand have no certainty about their right to remain. Their access to key public services such as health care is often limited.
Lessons from elsewhere
=====================
Border closures present the New Zealand government with several immediate migration-related challenges, including (a) many people on temporary work visas do not have automatic rights to health care, including all workers who receive work visas less than two years in length and their families, as well as all students and working holiday visa holders, and while some may have health insurance, many policies will not cover treatment for COVID-19 (b) during the course of the New Zealand border closure, and those implemented in other countries, the visas of many of these people may expire, creating problematic legal situations (c) some people on temporary visas, especially those who do not have friends and family in New Zealand or have arrived recently, may have little access to information about COVID-19 or understand how New Zealand government agencies work. (d) Some countries are actively responding to the issue of health access.
Providing health services
=====================
In Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Health says all uninsured people will have access to screening and treatment. Singapore has waived fees for testing and hospital bills for all non-citizen residents and long-term visa holders.
In New Zealand, the government is considering being more flexible with work visas on a case-by-case basis. The government has also made it clear employers of migrant workers are entitled to wage subsidies under the economic response package. This is a good sign but it remains unclear how a case-by-case approach can address the size of the temporary migrant population and their very different circumstances.
Migrants in limbo
===============
In the next six months, the visas of 40,948 migrant workers and 33,441 international students will expire. Visa expiry will leave these migrants in limbo, and that’s without taking into account the impact of COVID-19 on jobs.
For essential skills work visa holders (59,232 people in New Zealand, as of February 2020) and their partners (34,335 people) and children (25,314), the loss of a job for any reason entails the cancellation of a visa if a new position can’t be found. The length of time a person has been in New Zealand or the demand for their skills are not relevant to such decisions. Seasonal work visa holders (8802), mostly from the Pacific, are on seven-month visas with no rights to extend or apply for other visas. Post-study work visa holders (31,437) have more flexibility seeking employment but have often spent significant money on education and living costs over many years. They need a job to be eligible to apply for a residence visa.
=========================================================
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
-
53% Human-centred experience and communication
-
15.7% Critical thinking
-
28.8% Resilience and adaptability
-
2.5% Other - I will share below!
The Gospel’s Relevance Today**
The Gospel, meaning ‘good news’, is the cornerstone of the message contained in the Bible’s first four books—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. While these records were written approximately 2,000 years ago, a natural question arises: why is this Gospel still relevant and vital for us today? This analysis seeks to explore what the Bible itself defines as the Gospel and to understand its enduring significance.
**Defining the Gospel: Core Biblical References**
The Gospel is not a vague concept; Scripture provides clear descriptions of its content and focus.
* **The Gospel of the Kingdom:** In Matthew 4:23, as Jesus begins his ministry, he is described as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom.” This immediately establishes that the good news is centrally about a kingdom—the Kingdom of God. His accompanying miracles served to validate the authority of this message.
* **The Gospel of Jesus Christ:** Mark 1:1 opens with, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Here, “Christ” is a title meaning ‘anointed one’. Thus, the good news is intrinsically about Jesus: his identity as the Anointed One and his unique status as the Son of God.
* **The Gospel of God’s Grace:** In Acts 20:24, the Apostle Paul speaks of his mission to “testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Grace signifies an undeserved gift. This reveals that the Gospel involves a gift from God, offered not because it is merited, but out of His benevolence.
* **The Gospel of Salvation and Peace:** Romans 1:16 declares the Gospel is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,” breaking down barriers between Jew and Gentile (Greek). Furthermore, Romans 10:15 calls it the “gospel of peace,” pointing to a future state of peace brought about by this message.
* **The Gospel Summarised:** 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 provides a foundational summary. Paul reminds believers of the gospel he preached, “by which also you are saved.” He then states its core historical facts: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The Gospel is therefore rooted in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus.
In synthesis, the Gospel is the good news of **salvation and future peace in the Kingdom of God**, made possible by **the grace of God** and **the obedient sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ**, and offered to all who believe.
**Old Testament Foundations: The Gospel Preached to Abraham**
A crucial question is whether the Gospel is confined to the New Testament. Scripture shows its foundations were laid much earlier. Galatians 3:8 states explicitly that “the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’”
This reference points back to Genesis 12:1-3, where God made profound promises to Abraham: to make him a great nation, to bless those who blessed him, and that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” These promises—later reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob—form the bedrock of the Gospel hope. The good news of salvation through Christ is the fulfillment of how **all nations** would be blessed through Abraham’s “seed.”
**The Gospel’s Personal Relevance: Good News for You Today**
How does this ancient message become “good news for you” today? The application is clearly outlined in Galatians 3.
* **Access through Faith in Christ:** Galatians 3:26 declares, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” The promise made to Abraham is now extended to anyone with faith in Jesus.
* **The Role of Baptism:** Verse 27 explains, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Baptism is the God-appointed act of faith that identifies a believer with Christ’s death and resurrection.
* **Unity and Inheritance:** Verses 28-29 reveal the glorious outcome: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Through the Gospel, all barriers are removed; believers become spiritual descendants of Abraham and heirs to the promises of the Kingdom.
This Gospel was once a mystery hidden in God’s purpose (Ephesians 3:3-9). Now, it has been revealed: the unsearchable riches of Christ, offering salvation to all who heed the call, believe the message, and are baptised into him.
**Conclusion: An Enduring and Open Invitation**
The Gospel is far more than a historical account; it is the living, powerful good news of God’s plan for salvation. It is rooted in promises to Abraham, accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and open to all people without distinction. It offers a tangible hope—the hope of resurrection, peace, and an inheritance in the coming Kingdom of God. This is why the Gospel remains profoundly relevant. It is an invitation to listen, believe, and stand firm in this hope, linking our lives today to the eternal purpose of God.
Loading…
