When the devastating earthquake in February 2011 hit the Central Business District of Christchurch, there were a lot of foreign workers that found an opportunity to go and work there in order to rebuild the city.

There was an abundance of jobs that came out, which persuaded many foreign workers to apply for work visas. In the last year there have been 312 visas that have been granted while 39 have been declined.

But there are many foreign workers who moved to Christchurch in order to have a job are saying that they are having a hard time getting their work visa. According to them the government norms are turning out to be a big hindrance. There are many people like structural engineer Aaron Varley, who came from South Africa on the belief that e would get a work visa very easily based on his skill and qualification.

But the reality that they found out after coming here was very different as they are being offered no clarity by Immigration New Zealand. But the authority is of the view is that only those people had got rejected who were unable to meet the criteria of the Department of Labor's Canterbury skills.