Filipino nurses meet MPs over registration and visa troubles

Filipino nurses are concerned they aren’t being given enough time to find work in New Zealand.

Labour MPs met Filipino community leaders on Saturday to discuss their struggles with short visas and lengthy registrations.

Filipino Nurses Association president Monina Hernandez tells Newshub after the paperwork is done, they have only one month to find work.

“The sad thing is they cannot apply for a job during that period, so they are literally just waiting for their licence,” she says.

“They have to reapply for another visa, and that would incur further costs.”

Ms Hernandez says making changes to the visas would help New Zealand with its staffing shortage.

“If they actually addressed it, they would be addressing the need of New Zealand for nurses as well, so it’s a win-win situation.”

Filipinos make up 8 percent of New Zealand’s nursing workforce.

Newshub.