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New Zealand visa applications approved in error
Hundreds of would-be skilled migrants have been left disappointed after a computer glitch at Immigration New Zealand saw their applications accepted in error. An extra 330 people were wrongly told that they had been accepted into the Silver Fern Visa scheme, which provides 300 places for skilled workers each year.
Around 4,000 people were logged into the website at the time, with all 300 places filled in the first half hour. However, hundreds more were told they had been successful and that their payments had been accepted. Shortly afterwards they received another email saying the application was accepted in error and advising them to apply again next year.
A spokesman for Silver Fern said all the wrongly-accepted applicants will have their money refunded, but only the first 300 will in fact get the visas. He added that they are working with their software suppliers to find out what went wrong and to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Katy Armstrong, from the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment, said the gaffe is embarrassing for New Zealand, adding that the computer system cannot support the demand for places. She went on to say that the error will not help in attracting skilled migrants to the country.
Around 4,000 people were logged into the website at the time, with all 300 places filled in the first half hour. However, hundreds more were told they had been successful and that their payments had been accepted. Shortly afterwards they received another email saying the application was accepted in error and advising them to apply again next year.
A spokesman for Silver Fern said all the wrongly-accepted applicants will have their money refunded, but only the first 300 will in fact get the visas. He added that they are working with their software suppliers to find out what went wrong and to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Katy Armstrong, from the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment, said the gaffe is embarrassing for New Zealand, adding that the computer system cannot support the demand for places. She went on to say that the error will not help in attracting skilled migrants to the country.
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