23/12/2025
SUSPEND THE STAND DOWN PERIOD, END TIED VISAS; MIGRANTS ARE NOT DISPOSABLE WORKERS!
ESTABLISH ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE REASONABLE AND NON-DISCRIMINATORY FOR BUS AND TRUCK DRIVERS!
On this day of commemoration for International Migrants Day, MIGRANTE Aotearoa firmly stands with the united call of all migrant workers in New Zealand to immediately suspend the stand down period and end the tied visa system, which severely obstruct migrant workers from attaining job security and protecting themselves from employer exploitation.
International Migrants Day is an important day of remembrance and struggle for all migrants in New Zealand, including thousands of Filipino migrants. It is a day to give voice to the challenges and issues that migrant workers continue to face—from job insecurity and discrimination, to onerous immigration requirements, and policies that further worsen the conditions of migrants as workers and as members of society.
The significant contributions of migrant workers, including Filipino migrants, to New Zealand’s society and economy are undeniable. In the aged care sector, a large portion of the workforce consists of Filipinos and other migrants who care for the elderly and persons with disabilities—work that is critical to the dignity and health of the community. In the construction industry, migrant labour drives the building of homes, infrastructure, and social services. In the transportation sector, particularly among bus drivers and truck drivers, migrant workers ensure that the economy keeps moving—from transporting people to their destinations to distributing essential goods.
Instead of reciprocating these vital contributions, migrant workers are subjected to the stand down period. Under the stand down period, migrant workers are allowed a maximum of three to five years of employment in New Zealand based on their skill level, after which they are required to leave the country for at least 12 months before they can return and work again. Because of this restriction, migrant workers lose the option of continuous stay and employment in New Zealand, preventing them from recovering their expenses and saving for their families.
In addition, the tied visa is another burden borne by migrant workers. Under this system, a migrant worker’s visa is tied to a single specific employer, which often becomes a mechanism for exploitation. As a result, migrants lose the real freedom to change jobs even when they experience abuse and discrimination, low wages, or unsafe working conditions. The tied visa is not a protection for migrant workers; rather, it is a chain.
Another hardship faced by migrant workers in the transportation sector, particularly bus drivers and truck drivers, is the high and unjust English test requirements for resident visas and even for visa extensions. Despite their crucial role in keeping the economy and public services running, they are continuously pushed into job insecurity and uncertainty over their continued stay.
Despite all the hardships endured by Filipino migrants, it is clear that the Philippine government also bears responsibility. If Filipino workers were not being marketed as cheap labour under the Labour Export Policy, millions of Filipinos would not be forced to work abroad. If the government were responsible and serious about creating decent jobs with living wages at home, Filipinos would not have to leave their families and country just to earn a living.
However, instead of addressing the needs of Filipino workers and citizens, those in power are preoccupied with rampant corruption, led by the “king of the corrupt,” Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and the “queen of the corrupt,” Sara Duterte. Their conflicts are not driven by concern for the people, but by power struggles and jealousy over the scale of what has been stolen from public funds.
In response to and in strong condemnation of this systematic corruption, Filipino migrants around the world, led by MIGRANTE, will hold a “No Remittance Day” as a symbolic observance of International Migrants Day. This is a call for unity and collective outrage against corruption—a message that the Marcos Jr. regime cannot ignore.
SUSPEND THE STAND DOWN PERIOD!
END THE TIED VISA!
MIGRANT WORKERS ARE AN ESSENTIAL WORKFORCE, NOT DISPOSABLE LABOUR!
ESTABLISH ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE REASONABLE AND NON-DISCRIMINATORY FOR BUS DRIVERS!
