The announcement that central government has loosened visa restrictions for overseas workers is good news for the many temporary visa holders in Queenstown Lakes facing financial uncertainty, mayor Jim Boult says. 

The government has agreed to relax visa conditions for a short period to allow temporary migrant workers and international students to further assist with essential services during the COVID-19 response.

“Migrant workers are a key part of our district’s workforce, but due to their visa conditions they’re also some of the most vulnerable under the current circumstances,” Jim said. “I’m grateful the government has recognised the scale of the problem and the challenges it has posed for those with fewer avenues of support.”

The mayor says the district is facing an unprecedented crisis, and he expects migrants to be some of the hardest hit. 

Jim said he believes the scale of the challenge dwarves anything ever experienced in the district: “It’s almost too big to comprehend but at the council we are rolling our sleeves up and doing everything we can to support our community,” he said.

The district’s council-led Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has so far received more than 5,000 requests for welfare assistance from community members facing significant hardship due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of them migrant workers unable to access help provided to citizens and residents through the Ministry of Social Development.

“We rely on these people who often go unheralded. They are the baristas, chefs, shop assistants and cleaners that power our economic engine year in, year out,” Jim said.

“But more importantly they are a part of our community.”

EOC duty controller Tony Avery, who said the welfare team was supported by more than 60 volunteers and was working closely with local agencies, explained what the EOC was doing.

“A primary focus is to assess requests from those most at need and then work collaboratively with our local social service partners such as Central Lakes Family Services, Community Networks Wanaka, Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Southern District Health Board to direct people to the appropriate mental health and social support, and provide urgent assistance to those in genuine need with food parcels and grocery vouchers,” he said.

The assistance provided by the EOC is “solely for people struggling to keep their heads above water”, Tony said, adding that through the registration process applicants are thoroughly screened.

Details around QLDC’s response to COVID-19 and information about how to get urgent assistance (including mental health resources) can be found here and a region-wide help centre is also available with Otago Civil Defence on 0800 322 4000.

Resources available to people in need in Wanaka include Community Networks Wanaka (phone 03 443 7799) or website here; Central Lakes Family Services (phone 0508 440 255) or website here; and the Southern District Health Board (phone 0800 358 5453) and website here.

PHOTO: Supplied