Peabo Jackson
2013-08-13 18:09:14 UTC
Hong Kong (CNN) -- A South African chef who has worked in New Zealand for
six years claims his work visa was denied because of his obesity.
But New Zealand immigration authorities say the visa was denied because
the man "no longer had an acceptable standard of health," that his ability
to work was in question and that there is potential "high cost" of his
healthcare.
Albertus Buitenhuis, 50, as described by his wife, has "always been on the
larger side." And the 278-pound man (126 kilograms) says he struggles with
his weight.
So how did a chef who specializes in South African cuisine get caught in
the crosshairs of two major controversies -- immigration and obesity?
"I am a chef, not a politician and I do not want to be the poster child
for immigration issues -- but I have become that I feel," he told CNN. "I
just want to work and live here."
After Buitenhuis and his wife arrived in New Zealand in 2007, they were
granted subsequent visitor and work visas. They settled in the city of
Christchurch and Buitenhuis found work at a restaurant, the Cashmere Club,
where he became known for his "curry of the day."
Their run-in with immigration began when the couple applied for New
Zealand residency in 2011. To qualify for residency, Buitenhuis had to
take several medical tests. After the exams, the immigration authorities
found that "he did not have an acceptable standard of health."
Although Buitenhuis withdrew his residency application, his health
information was now on record. In May, Immigration New Zealand rejected
his work visa application for health reasons.
Immigration New Zealand did not cite Buitenhuis' weight for rejecting his
work visa. The agency stated in a media release that obesity alone is not
enough to fail the country's required health screenings. Instead, it cited
a litany of Buitenhuis' obesity-related complications and stated that he
had evidence of chronic knee joint condition, impaired glucose tolerance
and enlarged fatty liver. The agency noted that a replacement surgery for
Buitenhuis' knee joint condition could cost over US$16,000 (NZ$20,000).
"The applicant's ability to work is affected by the chronic knee joint
condition that he suffers from," the agency stated.
It also listed his "significant risk of obesity complications" as
diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, some
cancers and premature joint diseases. The agency's medical assessors "have
to consider to what extent there might be indications of future high-cost
and high-need demand for health services."
New Zealand has a public health system, which is free or low cost to users
because of government subsidies. Also the country's immigration policy
states that people with a body mass index over 35 are not likely to meet
health requirements due to health risks.
Buitenhuis agrees with the notion that countries have to protect their
taxpayers from high health expenses.
"I see no problem with potential immigrants being screened for risks to
either national health or maybe becoming a financial burden on the
taxpayers," he said. "All countries do that."
But he said they would've wanted to know sooner. He said they've already
put down their roots in New Zealand.
Buitenhuis was heavier at 353 pounds (160 kilograms) when he first arrived
to New Zealand. Now 75 pounds lighter, Buitenhuis said he was never warned
about not meeting an "acceptable standard of health" until about a year
ago.
The only previous mention of his weight was when he applied for residency
and an agent warned them that "INZ is very strict on weight and that it
was unbelievable that I was actually given a work visa in the first
place."
The couple has filed an appeal to Immigration New Zealand, which they
expect to hear back in two weeks. His doctor has written a letter of
support, stating that Buitenhuis had brought his cholesterol and blood
pressure under control and that his BMI is high because of his build.
Since May, the couple have had to stop working because they are considered
illegal aliens -- which has thrown their lives into turmoil.
"We've been kicked out of our home. We're in the process of losing our
phones, we're going to be cut off. We're living with my sister," he said.
"It hurts your pride, it's humiliating."
The couple hopes to remain in New Zealand as their relatives live there.
"We committed no crime and did nothing wrong other than my husband being a
foodie," wrote Marthie Buitenhuis, his wife. "We also feel that this
situation is treated very lightly while it should be abundantly clear to
the officials involved with our case that the situation is urgent."
Countries are limited in what health screening measures are applied to
short-term visitors. But the International Health Regulations, a legally-
binding international agreement to prevent the spread of diseases, allows
countries to apply additional screenings for people who seek long-term
residence because of health expenses picked up by the nation's services.
Boyd Swinburn, professor of Population Nutrition and Global Health at the
University of Auckland, said in an era of growing waistlines and soaring
health costs, tough policy decisions have to be made.
"I think governments are looking for ways to reduce the health care cost
burden on the population on the taxpayer," he told CNN. "So they'll be
looking at all sorts of ways to do that. I don't think it's an easy call.
There are issues on both sides, there's also population and government
decisions. Sometimes, they're a bit tough. There are no winners, I'm
afraid."
More than a quarter (28%) of New Zealanders are considered obese, which is
considerably lower than the United States (35.7%).
This is not the first time New Zealand has made headlines on this issue.
In 2009, a 297-pound American woman was denied residency there because of
her obesity-related complications, according to the New Zealand Herald.
The medical assessor concluded that the woman, who was morbidly obese and
diabetic, would cost the health service more than US$19,985 (NZ$$25,000)
over four years.
"There's always been a restriction on immigration based on health issues,
so the basic principle has always been, if you've got a major health
problem that's a drain on the state, that counts against you in
immigration," Jim Mann, professor of medicine and nutrition at University
of Otago in New Zealand, told CNN. "I don't think that's unique in many
countries."
Countries can test immigrants for infectious diseases like sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs) or tuberculosis, but the difference is that
countries also want to determine beyond potential infections to the
economic cost for the state, he said.
"If someone says to me, 'is your risk greater from a whole range of
medical issues because of obesity?' Yes it is. I may not like the
prejudicial label attached to it. It's a true fact," Mann added.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/30/health/new-zealand-visa/?iref=obinsite
six years claims his work visa was denied because of his obesity.
But New Zealand immigration authorities say the visa was denied because
the man "no longer had an acceptable standard of health," that his ability
to work was in question and that there is potential "high cost" of his
healthcare.
Albertus Buitenhuis, 50, as described by his wife, has "always been on the
larger side." And the 278-pound man (126 kilograms) says he struggles with
his weight.
So how did a chef who specializes in South African cuisine get caught in
the crosshairs of two major controversies -- immigration and obesity?
"I am a chef, not a politician and I do not want to be the poster child
for immigration issues -- but I have become that I feel," he told CNN. "I
just want to work and live here."
After Buitenhuis and his wife arrived in New Zealand in 2007, they were
granted subsequent visitor and work visas. They settled in the city of
Christchurch and Buitenhuis found work at a restaurant, the Cashmere Club,
where he became known for his "curry of the day."
Their run-in with immigration began when the couple applied for New
Zealand residency in 2011. To qualify for residency, Buitenhuis had to
take several medical tests. After the exams, the immigration authorities
found that "he did not have an acceptable standard of health."
Although Buitenhuis withdrew his residency application, his health
information was now on record. In May, Immigration New Zealand rejected
his work visa application for health reasons.
Immigration New Zealand did not cite Buitenhuis' weight for rejecting his
work visa. The agency stated in a media release that obesity alone is not
enough to fail the country's required health screenings. Instead, it cited
a litany of Buitenhuis' obesity-related complications and stated that he
had evidence of chronic knee joint condition, impaired glucose tolerance
and enlarged fatty liver. The agency noted that a replacement surgery for
Buitenhuis' knee joint condition could cost over US$16,000 (NZ$20,000).
"The applicant's ability to work is affected by the chronic knee joint
condition that he suffers from," the agency stated.
It also listed his "significant risk of obesity complications" as
diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, some
cancers and premature joint diseases. The agency's medical assessors "have
to consider to what extent there might be indications of future high-cost
and high-need demand for health services."
New Zealand has a public health system, which is free or low cost to users
because of government subsidies. Also the country's immigration policy
states that people with a body mass index over 35 are not likely to meet
health requirements due to health risks.
Buitenhuis agrees with the notion that countries have to protect their
taxpayers from high health expenses.
"I see no problem with potential immigrants being screened for risks to
either national health or maybe becoming a financial burden on the
taxpayers," he said. "All countries do that."
But he said they would've wanted to know sooner. He said they've already
put down their roots in New Zealand.
Buitenhuis was heavier at 353 pounds (160 kilograms) when he first arrived
to New Zealand. Now 75 pounds lighter, Buitenhuis said he was never warned
about not meeting an "acceptable standard of health" until about a year
ago.
The only previous mention of his weight was when he applied for residency
and an agent warned them that "INZ is very strict on weight and that it
was unbelievable that I was actually given a work visa in the first
place."
The couple has filed an appeal to Immigration New Zealand, which they
expect to hear back in two weeks. His doctor has written a letter of
support, stating that Buitenhuis had brought his cholesterol and blood
pressure under control and that his BMI is high because of his build.
Since May, the couple have had to stop working because they are considered
illegal aliens -- which has thrown their lives into turmoil.
"We've been kicked out of our home. We're in the process of losing our
phones, we're going to be cut off. We're living with my sister," he said.
"It hurts your pride, it's humiliating."
The couple hopes to remain in New Zealand as their relatives live there.
"We committed no crime and did nothing wrong other than my husband being a
foodie," wrote Marthie Buitenhuis, his wife. "We also feel that this
situation is treated very lightly while it should be abundantly clear to
the officials involved with our case that the situation is urgent."
Countries are limited in what health screening measures are applied to
short-term visitors. But the International Health Regulations, a legally-
binding international agreement to prevent the spread of diseases, allows
countries to apply additional screenings for people who seek long-term
residence because of health expenses picked up by the nation's services.
Boyd Swinburn, professor of Population Nutrition and Global Health at the
University of Auckland, said in an era of growing waistlines and soaring
health costs, tough policy decisions have to be made.
"I think governments are looking for ways to reduce the health care cost
burden on the population on the taxpayer," he told CNN. "So they'll be
looking at all sorts of ways to do that. I don't think it's an easy call.
There are issues on both sides, there's also population and government
decisions. Sometimes, they're a bit tough. There are no winners, I'm
afraid."
More than a quarter (28%) of New Zealanders are considered obese, which is
considerably lower than the United States (35.7%).
This is not the first time New Zealand has made headlines on this issue.
In 2009, a 297-pound American woman was denied residency there because of
her obesity-related complications, according to the New Zealand Herald.
The medical assessor concluded that the woman, who was morbidly obese and
diabetic, would cost the health service more than US$19,985 (NZ$$25,000)
over four years.
"There's always been a restriction on immigration based on health issues,
so the basic principle has always been, if you've got a major health
problem that's a drain on the state, that counts against you in
immigration," Jim Mann, professor of medicine and nutrition at University
of Otago in New Zealand, told CNN. "I don't think that's unique in many
countries."
Countries can test immigrants for infectious diseases like sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs) or tuberculosis, but the difference is that
countries also want to determine beyond potential infections to the
economic cost for the state, he said.
"If someone says to me, 'is your risk greater from a whole range of
medical issues because of obesity?' Yes it is. I may not like the
prejudicial label attached to it. It's a true fact," Mann added.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/30/health/new-zealand-visa/?iref=obinsite