6. Question No. 6—ImmigrationLEMAUGA LYDIA SOSENE (Labour) to the Minister of ImmigrationQuestion No. 6—Immigration6. LEMAUGA LYDIA SOSENE (Labour) to the Minister of Immigration: What recent reports has he seen about the Government's work to enable pathways to residence for migrant communities?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Immigration): I'm pleased to confirm that this week I have seen reports confirming that 100000 new Kiwis can now call New Zealand home as over half of all the 2021 resident visa (RV) applications have been approved. The people who have had their 2021 RV applications approved have critical skills to contribute to our economy including over 3700 health workers and over 11300 construction workers. This visa provides migrants with certainty about their future here giving them a pathway to residency while also helping to reunite families who were separated by the border restrictions that prevented COVID-19 from entering our community. Over the coming months we can look forward to thousands more critical workers being able to commit to their future in New Zealand through RV 2021.Lemauga Lydia Sosene: How is the processing of 2021 resident visa applications tracking compared to forecasts?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Interest in the 2021 resident visa has exceeded expectations but we remain on track to meet our target of processing 80 percent of those applications by June of next year. More than 95 percent of phase one applications have now been processed with 15000 people approved across phase one and two over just the last month. These new Kiwis will contribute to our communities and help to relieve some of the pressures arising from global labour shortages.Lemauga Lydia Sosene: What other steps is the Government taking to open pathways to residence for migrant communities?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: In further good news this week from 3 October I've announced that registrations for the Samoan quota will reopen and from 5 October registrations for the Pacific access category will reopen. Both of these categories have been closed due to COVID-19 and reopening them recognises the historic relationship between New Zealand and our Pacific neighbours. This is a major milestone as both are longstanding visa categories that enable people from our Pacific partner countries to become residents of New Zealand.Lemauga Lydia Sosene: How many people will have a pathway to residence thanks to the reopening of the Samoan quota and Pacific access category?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Collectively these pathways will provide for up to 5900 people to become residents over the next two years helping to reduce the impact of global labour shortages and to grow our economy. The 5900 places over the next two years include unused places from the 2020-21 ballots which are being redistributed. The Pacific access category unused ballots will be reallocated across the 2022-23 years while the Samoan quota ballots will be reallocated over the four years from 2022 through to 2025.Lemauga Lydia Sosene: How does the reopening of these pathways to residence support the Government's broader work to rebalance the immigration system?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The immigration rebalance provides pathways to residence for a range of critical roles while streamlining settings to make the application process more straightforward for migrants ensuring better settlement outcomes and reducing migrant exploitation. This is a Government that is committed to lifting wages and conditions for all workers and making New Zealand a more attractive destination for migrants to live and work in. The progress that we've made on opening pathways to residence via RV 21 the Samoan quota and Pacific access categories reflects this commitment and our ongoing progress to reconnecting New Zealand.Dr Gaurav Sharma: Supplementary?SPEAKER: Question No. 7 in the name of Erica Stanford.Hon Member: Point of order Mr Speaker.Dr Gaurav Sharma: Supplementary question?SPEAKER: Oh sorry. Dr Gaurav Sharma—sorry.Dr Gaurav Sharma: Thank you. What does the Minister of Immigration say to the critical publication by the left-leaning World Party of Socialist Revolution on Government's work to enable pathways to residence for migrant communities where it says that migrant workers face discriminatory policies in New Zealand?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I haven't read that publication and I don't agree with its assessment.Dr Gaurav Sharma: What does the Minister say to offshore stuck migrants who despite having valid visas were stopped from entering New Zealand and are now not eligible for the pathways to residence for migrants?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I would say to people in that situation that most of New Zealand's visa settings are now reopened and that people who wish to apply either for temporary work visas can do so through the accredited employer work visa scheme or can apply for a student visa. I'm sure that many of those people should they explore those opportunities will find pathways into New Zealand.