A migrant who was refused Government support when he lost his job says applicants are being discouraged from applying.
The migrant, who asked not to be named, twice received support from Internal Affairs, and once more after he appealed a rejection.
He told immigration reporter Gill Bonnett he is still waiting on an appeal to Work and Income, which refused him an emergency benefit before he started a new job.
In a statement, the ministry of social development's client service delivery manager Kay Read said the emergency benefit may be refused if visa holders are able to return home or have money to support themselves.
She said the take-up of the benefit is lower than expected and that could be because it's a relatively low level of support compared to the programme run by Internal Affairs and the Red Cross, because migrants found seasonal work in the summer or because there is less need than had been expected.
