Reported in April 2026. Rewritten summary published by Asian Insider on 11 October 2026.
Ryan De Guzman was driving buses in Auckland and sending money home for his daughter’s schooling. Securing residence was proving harder than finding the job.
In an April 2026 Stuff report, the Filipino driver said his English test score fell short of the residence threshold. Other drivers recruited during New Zealand’s bus shortage described similar difficulties, despite using English with passengers every day.
Union and industry representatives warned that losing experienced drivers as their visas expired could put bus services under pressure. They asked the government to lower the English threshold. Immigration officials defended the standard for people making a long-term move, while recruiters and operators said candidates had received visa information.
The relevant route is Transport Work to Residence. Bus drivers are not on the Green List. Immigration New Zealand’s current guidance also limits eligibility for bus drivers by when they began qualifying employment; two years behind the wheel does not, by itself, guarantee residence.
Residence criteria: Immigration New Zealand, checked 11 October 2026.
