Long Term Business Visa dreams get smashed. Don’t get caught by this simple NZ trick.
Welcome to the latest in our very popular Migrant Tales series.
Today’s tale was sent in by John – a British migrant who has contributed over $500,000 to the New Zealand economy since he brought his business over from the UK. When the time came for John to apply for residency he was told his business was unlikely to be of benefit to New Zealand and he was refused.
Thinking of emigrating to New Zealand on the infamous Long Term Business visa? John’s case is not an isolated example. There are many horror stories about people who’ve been shafted in this way, don’t become another one
Here’s John’s tale
New Zealand will leave a very bitter taste in my mouth that’s for sure.
Brought my business over here 6 years ago from the UK, have not asked for a cent since being here, paid upwards of half a million bucks into the system with taxes/GST/wages for Kiwi employees etc etc, and have just had an email from immigration (as I applied for residency 4 months ago) stating and I quote, that the business I am running is not a benefit to New Zealand and it is unlikely to be approved!!!
I have paid my way over here, made new jobs for kiwi born residents, paid all my taxes with a smile, and this is how they treat you at the end of it all!!! This is not a bitter rant, well, it is a wee bit, BUT, anyone reading this and thinking of setting up in New Zealand, please take note, you can do everything by the book and then some, and still not be good enough for them.
I think of the money I have pumped in to the economy whilst being here, to support the ferals who will never contribute anything, and then get told I am not worthy to stay here. 6 years!!! 6 years I have been here and this is how they treat you. Do yourselves a favour, stay where you are, the grass is not always greener on the other side!!!
For more migrant tales click here: Migrant Tales
E2NZ.org 
Now the N.Z Herald has set their sights on destroying Paul Henry ,so funny how they are riding on the back of anti Trump media attention and tarring this guy with the same brush,shows how easy it is to be assassinated if you compete with govt.owned media.
There are many words to explain NZ, its identity and where it stands on the world stage.
From early times and my background:
I immigrated here in the 80’s when I was a kid and we never chose NZ as a destination. As from Iran, at the time Iran-Iraq war had been raging and although we were in Tehran which is about 1500miles away from the war, we felt the hardship of political and economic hardship the country had been going through in the 80’s so we left to Pakistan, than from there we sorted out our papers and the UN office gave many Iranians there options such as immigrating to US, Canada, UK, Australia, NZ and various other countries that were taking people abroad. Some went to US, they just had wait in line for several years which meant living in Pakistan in 50 degree heat in an over populated 3rd world country. If you were without wife or kids it would not be hard and you could bear the environment and heat.
Anyhow we stayed for about a year and were given the option of NZ or Australia. My cousins left to Sydney and are prosperous now, they live in Campbelltown which is a posh suburb south of Sydney.
We came to NZ, to Auckland and to south of Auckland to a small piss of a little town called Pukekohe..just the name wants you to laugh and say what a name..lol
Now this is the mid to late 80’s…here we are in this town, we see street gangs such as a group called “Black Power” with dogs and patches on their jacket walking the town center and trying to scare residents. Once I remember we walked in town, their dog started barking and my mum screamed and we ran and they just laughed, there were women among them too.
After that my parents worked in farms, season job there, this and that. In school ofcourse there is bullying and racism, you are a middle eastern kid in a foreign environment or for them, a foreign kid in their environment, some indian looking kid, curry muncher as they call indians, and them , maori and white..the rugby playing haka dancing super race..lol
Than I went to Polytech, similar thing..I had times were I came across Polytech teacher’s or lecturer’s or whatever you like to call them with little knowledge, all they did was read out text books and pre worded answered assignments that you would think to yourself, where do they hire these people. And they asked me the most famous question, what is my nationality or where am I from and tried to talk nonsence..lol…because they feel so insecure and inferior that they have to know! It is funny to me.
I started working as a graphic design and architectural draughting and I remember job after job, working for them is a disaster..no professionalism, I remember times they would shout and use profanity over very small minor things and if you are a non white, specially Asians they will try to pay you low, not that it is a rare thing..NZ has the lowest wage in the developed world because the country is so small with a weak economy the only relies on agriculture and tourism.
Than in 2001, I went to Washington DC, in US and met friends there. When I saw how vast the place was, how alive and cultural it was, just the thought of getting on the plane and making a 18 hour trip to New Zealand made me depressed. But I had no choice, I did not have means or support to stay. I tried the US again in 2003 but again had to return.
I met Americans that came to NZ and we got along well and they all told me how small the place is and what makes them laugh is kiwis going on about Rugby and the All Black, Rugby a British colony sport which is only played by 10 countries in the world and how kiwis or some kiwis believe to themselves that they are important on the world stage..I remember I met one American guy in Auckland through another friend, he was a gentleman, calm type of guy..he told me the mentality of people in NZ is laughable…they do not realize how small and insignificant they are on world stage till they leave NZ and look at the place from the outside. They laugh and said, they do not even have a freeway or motorway between their capital and Auckland..freeways that we in US had built in the 70’s…lol…yet they talk crap about other countries. laughable..
In other countries, say US or Canada, the place and environment and society is big and diversity is vast. You do not feel that you are an outsider. Whereas in NZ..you can spend a life time in this small society country and still feel you are an outsider..first you cannot be a kiwi…than there is the indiginous people who are given high praise but yet very rarely they are on the top society ladder, most work at low jobs and are racist and have a mentality they have high entitlement and will do whatever to get it and know that they can because the country allows it.
All this tolerance comes at the high cost of the average tax payer and everyone has to tolerate it.
I also went to Australia in 2010 but by that time Australia’s economy slowed down and too many people in NZ had gone there. There is racism issues in Australia as with other countries, but the country is vibrant, its big and if you mind your business and work ,you prosper. Actually even in the short time I was in Melbourne, I formed friendship fast, I met Aussies, some Italians..it was fun.
I talked to one Aussie guy who said he had nothing against kiwis and thinks its funny how kiwis try to bash Australia because Australia is so prosperous and said why Aussies see a negative image in kiwis and specially maoris is because they are indigenous people of NZ whom most live on handouts and are known for their evil street gangs whom are out there to cause harm in society and when you see them in Australia you have to be aware and I think to me that is a fair call because I have seen these low lifes in Auckland and they will stop at nothing to have their way…and the law cannot do much or will not do much.
Trouble with NZ is, its too small and no diversity, its all about themselves and they are insular, they will not make friendship easily…it is like they live in a bubble..and even if you keep to yourself you still find you have imbeciles, some whom never left the island in their life time getting in your face…its laughable.
Now I am 40, I have changed career path and work in transport, still in NZ as I have nowhere to go now..Just to tell you why the mentality here never changes, only say about a year ago there was a maori guy in my work place and on several occasions he kept saying to me that was I born in a tent? or am I related to the Bin Laden family…lol…you can see how small the mentality is..now this is a man who is 45 and has never left the country and even told his friends he does not even have a passport. He is not the first one, I have met many just like him over the years who feel inferior and they try to talk on top of immigrants that they know a lot more and are very talented! lol
I wont go on anymore but to understand the country, you must understand that the place is very small, it has fragile infrastructure and it is just a small British colony at a remote part of the world, struggling to make its way in the world and trying to deal with countries like Australia which is 10 years ahead.
In saying that, I have met nice kiwis in recent times also, I will not bash the place too much, I have met extremely nice people whom are kiwis but there are not many.
I find it amusing that they think the place is a paradise because of its nature and that is it. For example I know the good and bad points of Iran, if you tell me I will not be offended, if you tell me its policies and the good and bad points of the country itself I will not jump up and down..but if you insult my race, than that is different..you are attacking an ethnicity, not a country.
Dude, go and see your MP. You may get some traction that way.
Talking to an official about a topic which makes them uncomfortable could result in retaliatory action against you,I would be cautious about doing this ,even journalists are subject to retaliation against them if they turn over the wrong rock,better to talk about the weather ,Rugby and how N.Z is the best in the world at everything.
Police set up breath testing check point outside an elderly people’s right to die meeting in Lower Hut ,this by their own admission ,their sole intention was to gain the names and addresses of meeting attendees not to find drunk drivers ,basically a state sponsored illegal roadblock/checkpoint .Your average Kiwi will call someone a conspiracy theorist if this behaviour is pointed out to them,rampant corruption and abuse of authority,this is the kind of devious behaviour associated with third world military regimes.
Maybe they watched to many B grade T.V cop shows and thought they were slick however more likely they exploited the elderly people’s inherent politeness and naivety .Its common for them to ask where you are going and an old school person would no doubt answer them honestly,no doubt they also photographed the venues parking lot and adjacent streets to verify their results.
Sadly, these kinds of stories are heard over and over in New Zealand. The country is far more corrupt than its reputation would indicate. In general the Kiwis are simply horrible people to deal with, and live in a culture that promotes behaviour similar to that of a sociopath.
Interesting to learn over the last couple of days the N.Z govt. has decided to pretend they care about the rampant methamphetamine use/abuse herein N.Z.Nobody has really made a fuss(as per usual) however the figures speak for themselves.In the last few years the N.Z govt. has confiscated 140 million of cash and assets from meth importers and dealers they now have pledged to spend 15 million per year for extra police and treatement of users.Seems that the N.Z govt. not only profits from immigrants misery but also the sale and use of illegal drugs.
Such a shame. As pointed above, the crab mentality is pervasive in kiwi society and businesses. Each one trying to pull other one down and unluckily you were always shown the carrot of PR. Appeal the decision and ask for more detailed information, it may not change the outcome but someone will have to work hard for wasting your 6 (long) years.
Yep as an opposition M.P stated ,buy into the N.Z propaganda ,sell your house ,put grandma into an old peoples home ,have the family pets put down and guess what ,two years later the rules change,fuck you you’re no longer welcome in N.Z but thanks for the money .Now go home and drag together the shreds of your old life.
I am very sorry to hear about your travails. I suspect that some local business might have viewed you as a threat or someone with a serious personality disorder at Immigration New Zealand elected to dismiss you.
One of the things that I found most frustrating when I lived in New Zealand was the disregard that the society showed for productive people who create jobs for others. Entrepreneurs are exploiters whereas Kiwi society venerates rugby players. I would warn any potential entrepreneur from avoiding New Zealand and potentially losing their life’s savings. The uncertainty regarding how the government applies immigration laws combined with a government and populace hostile to business means that one should look elsewhere.
I hope things work out for you.
[Deleted. Don’t troll. Admin]
Ash, I agree with you that this can happen in any country. And it does happen. However, half a mill NZD (I presume) is substantial investment, given the size of NZ population and economy. It is not comparable with US, Malaysia, e.t.c. If all other requirements for PR are met, such as health, character e.t.c., to decline John’s application on assumption that his business won’t benefit NZ, is pure madness.
This is how I see it.
[Deleted. Don’t troll, personal attacks aren’t welcome here. Banned. Admin]
I feel for you, John and I can relate to your situation. May be your business is seen as potential threat to some local, struggling “businesses”, or some 20 year old immigration officer was on a bad mood and decided to decline your application without giving it much thought. If I was you, I would appeal this decision, which doesn’t make sense.
You know best what to do. As they say – when one door closes, another opens. May this open new and exciting door for you. Good luck.