31 May 2004

Samoa's PM says potential migrants to NZ should not need to secure job offers

7:10 am on 31 May 2004

Samoa's Prime Minister says migrants to New Zealand should not have to to obtain a job offer in order to migrate under the quota system.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says potential migrants picked as one of the 1-thousand, 1-hundred eligible under the annual quota, should be allowed to depart for New Zealand immediately, rather than secure an offer of employment.

Tuilaepa says the applicants could then return to Samoa if no offer of employment can be found.

The Prime Minister says he has passed his suggestions on to New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Tuilaepa says it is easier for individuals to to secure employment when they are actually in New Zealand.

Tuilaepa says many job offers, submitted with applications under the quota, have been fake ones.