No Clarification Yet On Entry To U.K.

Press, Issue 32345, 10 July 1970, Page 14

No Clarification Yet On Entry To U.K.

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent > LONDON, July 9. The new Conservative Government has yet to make it clear whether or not it aims to restrict the entry and activities of New Zealanders wanting to enter Britain briefly and to work temporarily.

A statement by the; Home Secretary (Mr Maudling) last Friday; that the new Govern-1 ment planned to cut; down on “permanent”) immigration and to eliminate Commonwealth) preference over aliens in) this matter left open the) question of “temporary”) immigration.

This is of importance to New Zealanders, since thousands of them visit Britain and many obtain work, but very few settle permanently. Press and diplomatic inquiries of the Home Office (which administers immigration) have failed to unearth any indication of Tory plans. It is believed that these plans have not advanced far be-

21 cause the Conservatives havt r been in power for less thar J three weeks, during which ’) time Mr Maudling has beer -) concerned mainly with t* Northern Ireland. The present position is that ionly a handful of New Zead' landers settle permanently in Britain each year. Britain I l admits only about 4000 workj ers a year from all Common- >: wealth countries, and generally they must be coming to ;do a job for which there is no i qualified British applicant. Most of the 4000 are African, 11 Asian or West Indian. 1 This position will not 1 change radically if the special 'lrules now applying to Com'monwealth citizens are dropped. Very similar rules apnl.v to aliens. New Zealand “visitors," 1 however, are welcome without ' number for genuine social, tourist, family, cultural or business reasons. Visitors will be admitted provided they can satisfy an immigration officer that they can support themselves without working during their stay, and have their fare home. The officer may stamp their ipassport with a prohibition jagainst taking employment but in fact he rarely does this; and in assessing a New [Zealander’s means of support [the officer will often take into account the fact that the visitor wants to take temporary work. Admission is usually for six months, but renewals for up to a total of two years (sometimes three) are easy to get The real issue is that New Zealanders must simply convince an immigration officer that they aim to work only incidentally to having a holiday. and that they will not stav permanently. The officer will stamp- a passport with a work prohibition only when he doubts the applicant’s word. New Zealanders visiting Britain can obtain entry -merely by presenting themselves at a port of entry, but lit is preferable for them to I obtain an entry certificate in advance. ! Once in Britain visitors must renew their passport stamp when it expires, which • is usually every six months.

> For aliens, however, the rules i are different and tougher i Aliens are given initial per i mission to stay for only three i months and are prohibited from working. Extensions t may be granted. However. - any alien staying longer than i three months must registei i with the police and inform • the police of any change in • address, job or admission • status. i Another way to enter Brt > tain is by “voucher”. In gen . eral, this provision that over , seas citizens may come to Britain temporarily to do a specific job applies both to aliens and Commonwealth ' citizens. , Last year 25 New Zealand- . ers came here under this “A” ’ voucher scheme. The stay is - for one year, renewable W the employer (not the employee) requests the renewal. But aliens coming in under this scheme must register with the police. Common- ■ wealth citizens need not. Furthermore aliens do not have the special provision under which Common- . wealth nurses, dentists, scientists and other qualified ■ people' can come to Britain under the “B” voucher system without a specific job " ■awiating them. ‘B’ Vouchers ; Last year 232 New Zealandlers were granted “B" vouch- . ers. Once in Britain they 1 need not take up the skilled < job they are trained for, and ] can work anywhere they like . —including the wharves. ’ New Zealand officials in J London are closely watching 1 for any indication of Tory s thinking on short-term im- ‘ migration, and New Zealand 1 is likely to protest if the new < rules seem likely to restrict access. ,

Meanwhile the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants reported today what New Zealanders have known for a long time—the Home Office is ill-equipped to handle the existing rules, let alone any tougher ones. In a report to a select committee of Parliament it said that the Home Office had devised a complex system of controlling immigrants but did not have the staff to administer it efficiently and humanely.