Juliet Garcia loves her job at Switzer Residential Care in Kaitaia, but she couldn’t face it on Saturday. She stayed at home, in tears, fearing that if she stepped outside her door she would be arrested and deported. Ms Garcia and her husband have lived in Kaitaia for 10 years. He worked at Pak’nSave, while she has made a career in aged care. Every year she has renewed her work visa, at some expense but without difficulty, and both have paid for three-yearly health checks. This time her visa renewal has been declined. On Friday afternoon she received a letter from Immigration NZ saying that she had until Sunday to leave the country. Her husband, who is dependent upon her work visa, would have to go too. Their two sons, both of whom had been working, had to return to the Philippines when they reached the age of 21. The declining of Ms Garcia’s work visa has outraged Switzer general manager Jackie Simkins. “She has been a good and valued employee for 10 years,” she said. “She has a Level 3 National Certificate in Residential Care, and the final paper for her Level 4 diversional therapy training has just been couriered to Career Force. That will qualify her to work in the dementia unit, and entitle her to apply for residency under Immigration’s skills list. Telling her to go just doesn’t make sense. “And how can they give her 48 hours to pack up and leave? Her life is here. Her friends and her job are here. Telling her that she has two days to leave is ridiculous.” Ms Garcia has applied for a review of Immigration’s decision, but to do that she must remain in New Zealand, although as of yesterday neither she nor her husband are allowed to work. They have no income, and are afraid to leave their home. Last week the couple booked flights to return to the Philippines to see their second son graduate from university, but will not be going now, for fear of not being allowed back into the country. “That’s disgraceful,” Mrs Simkins said.
