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Immigration authorities are warning Zimbabweans who did not register during a special HIV/Aids amnesty that they may not get residence permits, although it seems unlikely they will be sent home.
The Department of Labour confirmed yesterday that by May 30, 67 Zimbabwean nationals eligible to apply for residence under the policy had not done so. Of those, 40 did not have valid permits allowing them to be in New Zealand.
The amnesty was announced in August last year and expired in February.
New Zealand First MP Peter Brown has called on the service to find the 40 and remove them from New Zealand. "Where are these people?" he said.
"The Immigration Service has had three months since the application period closed to track them down."
Mr Brown said the amnesty, which waived health requirements, was generous and allowed the Zimbabweans to stay in New Zealand no matter what diseases they might have. Department of Labour deputy secretary Mary Anne Thompson said the Immigration Service worked hard to get the message out to the Zimbabwean community to encourage people to apply.
"Now that the policy has closed, Zimbabweans who did not apply do not necessarily have a pathway to New Zealand residence," she said.
"However, we know that the situation in Zimbabwe remains unstable and, in accordance with our international obligations, sending people back there simply isn't an option until we can guarantee their safety."
- NZPA
