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The Documentary: Ticket to a new life

New Zealand visa ballot winner

09/06/2019 GMT

Ticket to a new life

BBC World Service - The Documentary, Ticket to a new life

Many Pacific Islanders enter New Zealand’s visa lottery. What happens to the winners?

Ana Baker sat at her desk in the Tongan capital, Nuku’alofa. An email arrived from the New Zealand government. “Congratulations!” it said on the outside. She knew what it was, but still paused for a minute before opening it.  She couldn’t believe her luck. 

Ana is a winner in the annual Pacific Access Category ballot. It is a visa lottery.  Each year, Tonga gets up to 250 places, Fiji the same, and there are up to 75 each for Tuvalu and Kiribati. In a separate draw, 1100 visas are available in the Samoan Quota ballot.

The relationship between New Zealand and the Pacific nations is close. Auckland, it’s said, is the largest Polynesian city in the world.  On its streets, the influence of Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and the other islands is obvious. And there are plenty more young people who want to come here – the ballots are hugely over-subscribed.

But it’s not as simple as a ticket to a new life.  If you win, you have around 9 months to find a job in New Zealand. And that’s not easy.  The system is open to bogus job offers and corruption.  And what of those who make it?  Many find it hard to make the transition.  And the ballot itself: is the system fair?

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