Visa move gives Kerala chef head start

Sous chef Ibin Antony with wife Soumya Jose and their daughter Agatha Ibin. Photo / John Stone

Chef Ibin Antony has gone through an unusual route finding work in Northland by securing a work permit before hunting for a job.

The Indian national arrived into Whangarei with three-year-old daughter Agatha Ibin last week to join his wife Soumya Jose who had been working as a nurse at Cairnfield House, a rest home in Otangarei, for the past three months. Mr Antony is among more than 2000 foreigners who have had work visas approved for jobs in Northland since July 2010. Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Data figures show an average of 433 people have had visas approved for employment in Northland every year while just over 30 visas were declined over the same period. Last year, 518 visas were granted - the highest number in five years.

Mr Antony, who hails from the State of Kerala, is a sous chef and has worked in and taught food production and bakery in India for about six years. He has also worked in an Italian/Indian restaurant in Switzerland for two years from 2005.

"I could have applied for a visitor's visa but I thought it was better to get a work visa and to apply for a job while I am in Whangarei," he said.

"I've heard there aren't many hotels here so I may try restaurants. I hope my post-graduate diploma in hotel management works here."

New Zealand Chambers of Commerce Northland chief executive Tony Collins said migrant workers provided short and long term benefits for the region.

"From a short term perspective, it's a great way to allow businesses to build their capability and grow," he said.

"Then there's the longer term picture around [businesses] building their workforces once they have the sufficient capability to meet those needs. [Migrants] bring outside skills, experience, knowledge and culture which all adds to the diversity of workplace. There's also longer term economic benefits if they're bringing their family with them as well."

Nationally, more than 860,000 people have had work visa applications approved since July 2010. In that time, 53,123 visa applications were declined.

The most common occupation gaining visas was tour guide, followed by chef and dairy cattle farmer. Cafe or restaurant manager, retail manager and retail supervisor were the next most common. Telephone betting clerk, postal sorting officer, mothercraft nurse, exercise physiologist and clay products machine operator were among occupations with only one visa approved. Meanwhile, the sole applicants with the occupations "vending machine attendant" and "weighbridge operator" had visas declined.