“Labour's inaction on immigration is creating a humanitarian and economic crisis,” says ACT’s Immigration spokesperson Dr James McDowall.

“Families are being split at the border and being forced to choose between working in New Zealand to support their family or leaving so they can be together.

“Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi couldn’t give a time frame in Parliament today for when he will have this sorted, he has no sense of urgency.

“As announced in our Honest Conversations Policy Document released last week, ACT would dump Labour’s ‘once in a generation’ immigration reset. Immigration reform may be needed in the future, but right now we need certainty.

“ACT would speed up residency for highly skilled persons by unfreezing the Expression of Interest (EOI) queue immediately, by resuming applications for those offshore. This would give a clear pathway for residency for skilled migrants.

“There are much needed skilled migrants, like doctors, who are living with uncertainty about whether they can stay. Nobody would blame them if they packed up and left.

“This Government claims to be one of kindness but the way it’s treating migrants is cruel. It’s time for the Government to do what’s right.”

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