Immigration reprieve keeps family together

A South African-born mother who faced the heartbreaking prospect of being deported - without her three-year-old son - has won her battle to keep her family together.

Rhonda Aylward and her daughter were facing deportation, but a phone call from an immigration official changed all that yesterday.

"I'm unbelievably happy," Ms Aylward said.

"I couldn't stop saying `thank you, thank you' to the person on the phone. But I felt that thank you wasn't a sufficient enough word.

"It's such a relief. Honestly, it just feels like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders."

The Taranaki Daily News took up Ms Aylward's case this week after it emerged that she would be sent back to her native South Africa because her occupation as a rest home caregiver no longer met immigration standards for a residency visa.

Her file ended up back on Associate Immigration Minister Clayton Cosgrove's desk on Tuesday.

Yesterday Mr Cosgrove saw commonsense and overturned a ruling by his department, Immigration NZ.

The decision means Ms Aylward can remain in New Zealand with her daughter, Willow (5), and son Cail (3).

The earlier immigration decision meant she would have to leave Cail behind because his Kiwi father would not allow him to leave the country.

It also means Willow can return to Marfell Community School today without having to pay expensive foreign student fees.

Ms Aylward has been overwhelmed by the community support since the family's story was revealed in the Taranaki Daily News.

Money and food packages had been generously offered, Ms Aylward said.

Watching her little brother Cail jump up and down with excitement, Willow said she couldn't wait to get back to school and see her friends.

She did not want to return to South Africa because she would have to leave her grandmother, who also lives in New Zealand.

Her mother had not had the courage to tell Willow the two would have been forced to go back to South Africa without Cail.

Ms Aylward thanked the Taranaki Daily News for championing her cause.

She believed the media coverage had forced the minister's hand.

Mr Cosgrove has decided Ms Aylward will be granted a 12-month permit to work as a caregiver at Rhapsody Rest Home, while South African-born Willow will receive a 12-month student permit.

"I have considered your situation carefully and it is my view that your case required closer scrutiny than that given by Immigration New Zealand," Mr Cosgrove said in a letter to Ms Aylward.

Mr Cosgrove also fast-tracked her permits and waived application fees.

The decision to give Ms Aylward a 12-month work permit extension can only help her cause to gain New Zealand residency.

Her residency sponsor, her sister Roxanne Nolte, has only been a New Zealand resident for 2½ years.

In another six months, Ms Nolte will be in a position to legally sponsor her sister. Sponsors guarantee they will take care of the applicants, should they fall on hard times.

Ms Aylward's former employer, Paul Ekdahl, of Rhapsody Rest Home, was rapt to learn his valued employee, a team leader at the home, would be returning. "I'm very happy for Rhonda and her family. She can now get her life back on track."

He hoped the turnaround was a step towards Immigration NZ acknowledging caregivers were skilled workers.

"They are skilled. They have all been trained. By law they have to be."

This is Ms Aylward's second immigration victory. In 2004, Willow's father attempted to have his daughter returned to South Africa.

Ms Aylward ended up travelling back to her home country and successfully gained a court order allowing Willow to live in New Zealand with her and her extended family.

Willow's father now lives in the United Kingdom.

- © Fairfax NZ News