How sad that Immigration are so strict on allowing parents into NZ. They have their reasons in that they worry that we will be a burden to their health system. I just wonder if they couldn't go about it another way e.g. by imposing a condition that we take out private medical insurance to cover such an eventuality. In the long term, if more older folks did require medical treatment it will create more jobs for doctors, nurses and other auxilliary workers. Having heard painful stories about recent immigrees missing their families so much and the anguish it causes, isn't there another side to the story? NZ is worried about the problems that we folks of a 'certain age' might cause but have they looked at the plus side of it? What a boost to the moral of the new immigrants when they can settle happily in NZ in the knowledge that their parents are there for them. So many people find they have to return home because they miss their family too much and it's NZs loss in the end. Older people may well have a good and stable financial background and provide spending power to the country, so we're not all bad. NZ needs to bend a bit to help their new citizens-to-be to settle well rather than upping and returning to their base country.

This is my opinion as one of 'them' but younger forumers may well have a different view. With a tear in my eye, excuse me while I get out my violin and strum a few cords. :smiley19: