The Department of Labour’s Pacific Division of Immigration New Zealand will be visiting Pacific communities nationwide, with 13 community meetings being held from Central Otago to Northland.
The meetings are scheduled from 22 April to 29 May.
“We wanted to return to the local communities and talk to them about the work we do in the Pacific region but also the work we do with the local Pacific communities,” says Mai Malaulau, Immigration New Zealand Pacific Division’s Director.
“There has been a lot of work going on with a number of initiatives that touch on the lives of people in New Zealand and in the Pacific Islands and this seemed like a good time to go back to the community and tell people about it and also offer them an opportunity to ask questions,” she said.
“We’ll update Pacific people on the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme, the Samoa Quota and Pacific Access Category Ballots and provide a progress report on the Review of the Immigration Act.
The Pacific Division has held meetings with the pacific community since 2005 and from the start said they would regularly report back to the community on issues, policy changes, future directions and upcoming events.
Community meetings will be held in Christchurch, Central Otago, Nelson, Blenheim, Wellington, Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay, Bay of Plenty, Hamilton, Northland, and three meetings in Auckland.
The meetings will start at 6.30 in the evening and will be held in a local Pacific community hall or church. Further details of the meeting’s venue and place are below:
| DATE | LOCATION | VENUE |
| Mon 28th April | Nelson (Tasman/West Coast) | Victory Community Centre, Totara Street, NELSON |
| Tues 29th April | Blenheim (Marlborough) | St Andrew Presbyterian Church, 5 Henry Street, BLENHEIM |
| Tues 6th May | Wellington | Elim Church, 11 Herlot Drive, PORIRUA |
| Weds 7th May | Manawatu (Taranaki/Wairarapa) | Presbyterian Church, 87 Oxford Street, LEVIN |
| Tues 13th May | Hawke's Bay (Central Hawkes Bay) | Cook Island Community Centre, FLAXMERE |
| Weds 14th May | Bay of Plenty (East Coast) | St John the Baptist Anglican Church, Jocelyn Street, TE PUKE ** |
| Tues 20th May | Hamilton (Waikato) | Celebrating Age Centre, Hamilton City Council, HAMILTON |
| Weds 21st May | Northland (Kerikeri/Whangarei/Kaikohe) | Northland Pacific Island Charitable Trust Building, 22 Finlayson Street, WHANGAREI ** |
| Tues 27th May | Auckland (Tongan) | Tokaikolo Church, "Nasaleti" 148 Coronation Street, MANGERE BRIDGE |
| Weds 28th May | Auckland (Pan Pacific) | Venue to be confirmed ** |
| Thurs 29th May | Auckland (Samoan) | Malaeola Catholic Church, MANGERE ** |
| Weds 4th June | Christchurch | Latimer Hotel, 30 Latimer Square, CHRISTCHURCH |
| Tues 10th June | Dunedin | Burns Hall, First Church, Moray Place, DUNEDIN ** |
** These venues are to be confirmed. Please contact our call centre for updated information
To find out meeting venues, call Immigration Service freephone on 0508–55-88-55 or EMAIL
