NZ parent visa rules `impossible` for some in China`s one-child generation

Source: RNZ, 08/03/2020

Ms Xu said at first she was excited at the news the category was
being reopened - but the announcement wasn`t what she had been
waiting for.
`When I read the news in detail, I was very angry. The financial
requirements, at least for my family, are impossible to meet. I
think they`re also impossible for most people,` she said.
The new policy requires an individual to have an annual salary of
almost $160,000 to bring in both parents.
Both Ms Xu and her husband are only children, and together have
four parents to look after.
Ms Xu works part time to take care of a young son, and said for
her that level of income was unthinkable.
`Sometimes we need our parents to help look after our child. Our
parents don`t want to live here permanently. They have to adapt to
a different lifestyle and their friends are all in China,` Ms Xu
said.
`We just hope that when it`s necessary, they can stay here a bit
longer. We`re not thinking about taking advantage of the system.
We can buy our own medical insurance for them.`
For Sandy Ji, the visa requirements mean she and her husband will
have to make difficult decisions.
`With limited financial ability, if we can afford to apply for
residency for only one parent, it might create some conflict in
the family. Even if they don`t say anything. It will affect the
relationship between family members,` she said.
Harry Chen works as a coach driver in Auckland and said he might
go back to China to stay with his parents if they can`t come over.
`New Zealand economy is not going well. I`m earning less than
before and the cost of living is high. Now the requirements for
earnings has been raised to such a high level, I don`t think me
and my partner can ever get all of our parents over,` he said.
New Zealand Chinese Youth Federation president James Sun said lots
of its members are in their twenties or thirties, the one-child
generation.
He has heard lots of complaints about the new scheme.
`Their parents, when they grow older, as according to Chinese
culture, they always like this family reunion because they have no
other children to support them in China - so there`s another
culture issue with Chinese immigrants,` Mr Sun said.
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