Migrant bus drivers need to attain post-graduate level English for residency

A growing number of migrant bus drivers are at risk of missing out on a chance to gain residency as they struggle to meet Immigration New Zealand's strict English-language requirements.

To qualify for a skilled residence visa, applicants must attain a score of at least IELTS 6.5 (general or academic) or exceed equivalent scores in tests such as TOEFL iBT (79), PTE Academic (58), B2 First (176) or OET (Grade B).

However, several bus drivers told RNZ the benchmark was unrealistic for their line of work, with some considering returning home.

A language expert and an immigration advisor both echoed those concerns, warning that the rules not only put drivers' futures in jeopardy but could also lead to wider staffing pressures in the industry.

In 2023, Auckland Transport announced an end to the city's bus driver shortage after a successful local and international recruitment drive.

"I have attempted PTE Academic six times and IELTS four times and spent almost $5000 on English exams," said Raj, a bus driver in the South Island, who, like other drivers in this report, spoke on condition of using a pseudonym due to fears his employment could be terminated.

Raj failed to pass 58 in all six PTE Academic tests or 6.5 in the four IELTS examinations he sat.

He moved to New Zealand from Fiji in 2023 after a local bus company recruited him.

"They told me I could apply for residency after working for two years," he said. "That's why I came."

His visa is due for renewal in October, which would allow him to stay a few more years.

Raj was unable to comprehend why there was a big gap in language requirements between visa extensions and residency applications.

"I only need 4 [in an IELTS test] for extension but 6.5 for residency and I'm doing the same job," he said.

Under the current rules, accredited employer work visa holders need an IELTS score of 4 to extend their visas.

Raj said returning to Fiji after his visa expired was not an option.

"I've spent about $30,000 moving here, and I cannot think of going back to start over," he said, recalling the money he had spent on airfares, rental costs and car purchases in relocating his family.

Bhavesh, another driver recruited in 2023, has been facing the same problem.

He has sat language tests 10 times but has failed to attain the required scores.

Scoring 6.5 in an IELTS test is a Herculean task for bus drivers with only a basic high school education, he said.

"I work from 6am to 6pm every day talking to passengers," Bhavesh said.

"We help them with the ticket machine and answer their questions. I've been doing this for two years," he said.

"We don't want the English requirements removed, just lowered so we can qualify."

Sunil, who has sat the exams three times, agreed.

"When we were recruited, the company said there was a pathway to residency," Sunil said. "They never told us we'd have to go through this."

Sunil also brought his family to New Zealand and holds a visa until March next year.

He said exam fees and visa application costs were taking a toll on his family.

"If I extend my visa, I need to spend $3000 to $4000," he said, referring to the total cost of renewal fees he would need to pay for his family.

"Then I'll still have to sit more English exams, which costs me again and if I finally get 6.5, I'll still need thousands more for a residency application."

Sunil said the problem was widespread.

"There are hundreds of drivers just in the South Island facing this, and many more in the North," he said. "Everyone is struggling."

Dual purposes

Maria Treadaway, who teaches academic English at the University of Auckland, said the language tests were very challenging.

"They're standardised language-proficiency tests that are testing the core language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking," said Treadaway, who also works as an IELTS examiner.

She said the exams were primarily designed for academic settings.

Treadaway said the exams gave equal weight to reading and writing, even though migrant workers such as bus drivers arguably used listening and speaking more frequently.

She said IELTS, for example, included a speaking test covering a wide range of topics.

"People [in the test] might be talking about comparing educational systems or global warming or environmental issues," she said.

"I don't know how often bus drivers need to do that. There is a mismatch between the purpose of the exam and what some applicants actually need."

Immigration New Zealand told RNZ that IELTS 6.5 overall was a consistent benchmark across skilled residence pathways and had been in place for many years.

"It is an independently assessed indicator of competent English," said Polly Vowles, manager of immigration (skills and residence) policy at the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment.

Vowles said a person was generally able to communicate effectively in most situations at this level, including in the workplace and community.

"A higher English standard is required for residence than for temporary visas because residence reflects a long-term commitment to making New Zealand home," she said.

However, Treadaway disagreed, arguing that a bus driver wouldn't need to attain a 6.5 score in an IELTS test to communicate with passengers and colleagues.

"A 6.5 overall is what at Auckland University a non-native foreign student is required to have for a master's level study," she said.

"[For bus drivers] I think a more appropriate overall band would be somewhere around 5.5 to 6."

Arunima Dhingra, a senior licensed immigration advisor and CEO of Aims Global, said she regularly received calls from bus drivers across the country about the difficulties they experienced when applying for residency.

"They cannot get their IELTS 6.5," she said. "They've taken numerous attempts, and they just can't get it."

Dhingra said the benchmark score, which was applied across most residency categories, was not workable for everyone.

"I don't think we can use one lens for everything," she said. "We need to have different lenses for different occupations, and I think the government needs to go back on this."

Some bus drivers have approached community leaders for help.

"I've been approached by bus drivers who really feel helpless and quite stressed out," said Krish Naidu, president of the Fiji Girmit Foundation.

Naidu said they were not opposed to having a language requirement but wanted a lower threshold for the exams.

"I feel really sorry, and I want to help them out whatever way I can," he said.

Naidu has sent a letter to the minister of immigration, claiming that thousands of drivers nationwide might be affected by the language requirement.

Hayley Courtney, national bus coordinator at First Union, said the union had received a number of complaints from bus drivers in recent months.

"We think the onus is on the bus companies," she said.

"If they are recruiting migrant workers, then they must ensure those workers are given enough support and education to achieve higher success rates."

Bus companies told RNZ they were actively supporting their drivers with language skills.

"Across our business we work closely with our depot managers to ensure we're supporting our overseas drivers in building these skills," said Stephen Mckeefry, chief operating officer of Kinetic New Zealand.

He said the company have been continuing to trial an internally developed programme called Language Link to help drivers on accredited employer work visas improve their English.

Ritchies shared a similar sentiment.

"A number of [visa] applications have already been approved, while others have met all requirements - including English - and are currently in processing," said Sharon Scott, director of people, safety and culture at Ritchies.

Scott said the company was actively supporting drivers who needed help with visas or residency applications.

Raj, Bhavesh and Sunil have called for a change in immigration policy so they could apply for residency.

"It's really hard for people like us when they are asking us to talk about England [in the exam topics] when we are here," Raj said.

Bhavesh and Sunil agreed.

"We've been dealing with people on the bus every day and [English] is never a problem," Sunil said. "But I don't know how to resolve this problem."