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The Government is once again misleading the public on the number of offshore nurses that have applied to come to New Zealand, National’s Immigration spokesperson Erica Stanford says.
“This morning Health Minister Andrew Little repeated claims that 400 nurses have applied for a work visa, but in reality, fewer than one in five of those nurses are actually offshore and are yet to come to New Zealand.
“Recently revealed information shows that as few as 77 offshore migrant nurses have applied for a work visa. Worse still, only three have arrived in New Zealand since 4 July.
“The Health Minister and his government are misleading the public by counting nurses who are already in New Zealand and switching visas, simply to make it seem like they are doing a better job than they actually are. Once again Labour is all spin and no delivery.
“On average, only 30 nurses are applying each month under the Government’s new ‘streamlined’ visa. Shockingly, the average was much higher when New Zealand’s borders were closed, which saw around 57 each month.
“Only Labour could deliver fewer nurses with the borders open than when they were closed.
“After three months of dismal nurse numbers, Immigration Minister Michael Wood should admit that making nurses wait two years for residence is a mistake.
“The Government must immediately place nurses on the fast track straight to residence pathway to attract the migrant nurses we desperately need.”
