Harvest fears prompt visa petition

A petition has been launched calling for the Government to ease temporary work visa conditions for international winery workers impacted by Covid-19.

The petition, started by Cait Guyette, is calling for the Government to allow grape harvest workers already in New Zealand to stay until vintage 2021.

Guyette, who is from the United States but had a permanent job at a winery in Marlborough, said she felt disheartened there had been no leniency to allow harvest workers to continue working in New Zealand’s wine industry.

Many were stuck in New Zealand,

with no flights home, but their visas were running out. Last week, Marlborough Civil Defence welfare manager Catherine Coates said they were supporting 20 people with vouchers that enabled them to shop for food and other household supplies.

On June 17, Immigration New

Zealand met virtually with employers and employees in the Marlborough wine industry, to provide further support and information about the options available to them.

Guyette went to the meeting and said the message was for workers to get home.

Those on an essential skills visa were linked to their employer, region and job title, which limited them from being able to switch between different wine industry jobs.

Guyette said it was important to remember the wine industry contributed to one in five jobs in Marlborough.

Leaders in the wine industry were already worried about a shortage of skilled labour next year. While some harvest jobs were entry level, Wairau River

Wines operations manager Nick Entwistle said this month returning overseas workers and those that had worked multiple vintages were vital for a harvest to run smoothly.

Guyette said if the wine industry struggled to fill labour shortages next vintage it would directly impact Marlborough.

‘‘It’s going to get complicated. Borders aren’t going to be open in 12 months, the industry needs people back here to do vintage,’’ she said.

‘‘The people who are trying to stay and work would rather not be supported by the state with food and housing vouchers, they want to work.

‘‘The foreigners who came to work in the wineries are built-in tourists, we’re not from here and want to visit all the touristy spots and services that will struggle in a Covid-19 economy. Letting people stay is truly a win-win.’’

She said it was a shame for harvest workers to go from being essential and working through lockdown, to being told to go home.

‘‘I guess I could just commiserate with being far from home, a lot of people didn’t have a support system here to go through lockdown with.

The petition was launched on Friday and would close today. By yesterday morning, nearly 800 people had signed it.

‘‘I wanted it to be really short, because it can’t be presented in Parliament until its closed,’’ Guyette said.

Those wanting to sign the petition could visit www.parliament. nz/en/petitions/sign/pet_99178.