Last week, the airline cancelled more than 20 flights from Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney and on Friday, the Australian branch of global accounting firm Ernst & Young was appointed as liquidator.
Seasonal worker Edden Tain worked in the Teviot Valley this summer and was expected home in Vanuatu on Saturday. But the short-notice cancellation of Air Vanuatu’s flights has left him and his colleagues in limbo.
Mr Tain and 11 other recognised seasonal employer (RSE) workers had packed up and were completing a final inspection with their Roxburgh accommodation provider when they found out their flight had been cancelled.
"It is a terrible thing", Mr Tain said.
"We don’t know what’s going to happen ... We all feel sad."
The men had worked harvesting fruit throughout the Teviot Valley for the past seven months.
They had been looking forward to seeing their families again, who now shared their sadness and frustration about the delay in getting home.
The men had spoken to their families, but it did not compare to being able to see them in person, Mr Tain said.
"With the internet, we’ve talked to them but it’s better to be seeing them.
"They feel what we are feeling here", he said.
The men had sent most of their wages home ahead of time and were left with only enough to get them through airports.
"Now we are struggling — who’s going to [pay] for the food?" Mr Tain said.
On top of concerns about funds, he was worried the unforeseen circumstances would result in some men inadvertently breaching their visa conditions.
His group had not heard from Immigration NZ, but when they applied for their visas were given clear instructions that overstaying would result in penalties, he said.
"All our visas are going to be expired on the 16th of this month ... some on the 12th", he said.
He was concerned this would affect their ability to return to New Zealand to work in future harvests.
He urged the New Zealand and Vanuatu governments to find a solution for workers stuck in New Zealand.
"We are [a] big benefit to our country when we are here working.
"This situation happens, and we are asking the [New Zealand] government to help us ... go back to our family."
Immigration NZ national manager Pacific Loua Ward said the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment was aware of the situation and was working to ensure RSE workers with expiring visas could remain in New Zealand lawfully and their employers were supported.
The initial focus was on the 213 RSE workers, across 14 employers, whose visas were due to expire by Wednesday.
"We will be in contact with other RSE workers and employers who may be impacted after we work through solutions for this initial group", Ms Ward said.
There were 1458 RSE workers from Vanuatu with visas expiring by June 9.
"Our expectation is that employers continue their provision of accommodation and pastoral care until the workers depart New Zealand", Ms Ward said.
The visa entry dates for Vanuatu-based workers who were still to travel to New Zealand had been extended by one month.
Owner of Cromwell-based vineyard development business James Dicey said 32 of his RSE workers were travelling to the airport when they were told their flight had been cancelled.
"They were taken ... back to their accommodation provider, who thankfully hadn’t got anyone else ... booked", Mr Dicey said.
"[They were] bitterly disappointed, concerned, desperate to get home.
"My heart’s with the men with their inability to return home to their families."
Grape Vision was part of Seasonal Solutions Co-operative Ltd, which was working to support the workers — who were now facing several pressing issues, Mr Dicey said.
"We’re working with the pastoral care workers who take care of these guys to makes sure they’ve got enough food and enough money to be able to live in NZ."
The co-operative was also exploring alternate routes to Vanuatu and working with Immigration NZ to extend workers’ visas.
"We’ve just got to do what we can from our side to try and manage the situation as best we possibly can", Mr Dicey said.
The situation reflected poorly on Air Vanuatu and put people in Vanuatu in a precarious position.
"Vanuatu is one of the larger labour centres and not having a reliable airline puts the country at risk, puts the men at risk."
— Additional reporting AAP
