kung bakit di mawawalan ng trabaho ang Pinoy sa New Zealand (on why Pinoys will always have jobs in New Zealand)

MAY NAGCOMMENT sa post na nabasa ko sa Pinoy community Facebook page (maraming salamat sa mga comment sa sarili kong blog, positive at negative) na matagal-tagal na rin silang naghihintay maging permanent resident nang walang asenso, at taon-taon na lang  nanganganib sa pabagu-bagong patakaran ukol sa work visa: Sila (mga politicians) din naman po ang nagpapahirap sa mga migrant para makakuha ng visa. Lalo ang residence visa. Tuwing papasok ang November ang mga temporary work visa hindi na makatulog kakaisip ano na namang pagbabago sa immigration policy ang mangyayari, sabi ng isang kabayan. That’s true Kabayan Commenter. Your situation is multiplied many times over as there are between 5,000 and 10,000 Pinoy work visa holders, and that’s in the building and caregiving industries only. Sa mga ibang industry baka may isa o dalawang libo pa. Surely we have paid our dues. Surely we have made our contributions to New Zealand. For those who’ve stayed here a good part of the last decade, we’ve more than proven ourselves through earthquakes, a rebuild (twice), storms, tsunamis and now a pandemic that has all but crippled the rest of the world (but not New Zealand). I’m not an immigration expert, and I don’t claim expertise in migration. The only thing I can offer is that I observe behaviors of both individuals and the Government, and with a modest level of confidence I can tell you, Kabayan Worker and others in similar situation, not to worry too much. 2020, or even 2021, will not be our last year in New Zealand. Whatever our job, and whatever our wage level. For the following reasons: The rules themselves, and what they imply. Visa pathways specific to Filipino citizens remain in immigration rules in professions that encourage Pinoys to continue trying to work in New Zealand. If you are a registered nurse, farm manager or engineering professional from the Philippines with credentials and experience, you may be granted up to a three-year visa with family allowed to apply to arrive with you, as long as you have a job offer. With a visa pathway specific for our countrymen effective throughout the global crisis, and no sign of backtracking on this, it’s a strong sign that we are dependable for this specific kind of job or jobs. Note that Pinoys may still apply outside these pathways, for as long as conditions are complied with on those other pathways. You don’t need to be a fortune teller to know that confidence in our brown brothers and sisters remains strong from Kiwis. In practical terms, it’s easier to keep those who are already in, and prioritize those who are tested and trusted. It’s too bad that borders are temporarily closed and applications put on hold for our kabayan and colleagues back in the Philippines, because eager, skilled and hardworking Filipinos will always be available from our Inang Bayan. But because of the obvious need to guard against covid19, it’s just too risky to reopen New Zealand with its hard-fought near-zero transmission. The urgent  question New Zealand immigration policymakers need to ask is how do you compare between new, untested arrivals and those who are already here, tested, vetted and cleared to be both dependable and law-abiding ? It shouldn’t be a debate, and guest workers already here, not just Filipinos, should be given either longer-term visas or friendlier terms for permanent residency. It makes sound business sense and is the fair way to go. we fill jobs that Kiwis do not traditionally work in, and when we do, we tend to specialize and don’t disrupt the job market. Alam na alam na natin saan tayo may kakayahan, at saan tayo mahina (We know very well where we excel, and where we don’t.) The reality is, we apply for jobs where the demand is, where there is not much interest from New Zealanders, and where they no longer need to train us. If anything, we just need to acclimatize ourselves with Kiwi English, the local culture, and how things are done here. Otherwise, with our work ethic, our team play, and our willingness to get along, it’s not exaggeration to say we hit the ground running. Many Pinoys start working the week they arrive, and take care of other details on the fly.  Even if we do excel, we often take care not to outshine the master or our seniors, sometimes at our expense. In some cases this is bad for us, but usually it strengthens our reputation as good for the company, good for the industry, and good for New Zealand.  We often undersell, and deliver more than we promise. Diba ganyan ang Pinoy? (Aren’t Filipinos like that?) The ethnic Filipino vote is growing in NZ, and politicians know that pro-Pinoy immigration policy will help their chances getting to Parliament. Right now we have the Honorable Paulo Garcia, List Member of Parliament based in Auckland, is a rising star for the National Party. Two Labour Party candidates, Romy Udanga for East Coast Bays and Monina Hernandez for North Shore, are strong selections and at least one, or both will win in their constituencies. Beyond their physical presence in Parliament, these candidates symbolize the growing political power of our Filipino ethnic community in New Zealand. Before either Party endorses a policy that will affect all of us Pinoys, whether as guest workers, students or permanent residents / citizens, our voting power is an assurance they will consult us . first. Hopefully this translates into better and friendlier policies that will lead to more work visa holders becoming New Zealanders. New Zealand benefits and enjoys from most of us Filipinos here. Why not do more to show it, New Zealand? Mabuhay, thanks for reading!