Skilled worker forced to slim

[MotherBear]

I wonder how many people slim down just for immigration purposes then, as soon as they're in NZ, put the weight back on again?

Skilled worker forced to slim before being allowed into NZ
1:31PM Friday November 16, 2007

A skilled worker was denied entry to New Zealand until he could pass a fat measurement test.

Richie Trezise, an English submarine cable specialist headhunted for a job with Telecom, was forced to slim down before the New Zealand Immigration Service would let him in.

He was denied an employer-backed talent visa when he failed the Body Mass Index test (BMI), a fat measurement using a person's height and weight.

According to reports, Mr Trezise's BMI was 42, making him morbidly obese under New Zealand Immigration guidelines.

Mr Trezise was forced to go on a crash diet to lose weight and 5cm from his waist and passed the test to start work in New Zealand in September.

Telecom spokesman Mark Watts said the company was sympathetic to Mr Trezise's situation, but the scheme had worked well.

More here .

[nolasmom]

Wow! I was in the my 8th month of pregnancy when submitted our medical info and was definitely in the big girl category (sadly, still am). I was concerned that NZIS might take issue with my weight, but they must have cut me some slack with the pregnancy. Also, I was not the principle applicant.

Poor guy. I hope his wife makes it.