南非厨师因太胖被新西兰驱逐

南非厨师阿尔伯特在新西兰一家餐馆工作了六年，如今因为太胖在更新工作签证时被拒，面临被驱逐。新西兰移民局官员称，阿尔伯特体重130公斤，不符合可接受的健康标准，这样的体重可能导致糖尿病、高血压、心脏病等健康问题，会对国家医疗服务造成负担。

奇怪的是，2007年阿尔伯特和妻子马尔蒂从南非搬到新西兰克赖斯特彻奇市时，他的体重达160公斤。他的妻子表示，之前每年申请工作签证都没有问题；在他的体重比六年前轻了30公斤，移民局却以体重为由拒绝给他们工作签证。

新西兰是肥胖率最高的发达国家之一，全国将近30%的人口超重。移民局发言人表示,外来移民需要达到一个合格的健康标准，使新西兰医疗服务的开支和需求最小化。

Authorities in New Zealand have told a South African chef he is too fat to be allowed to live in the country.

Immigration officials said Albert Buitenhuis, who weighs 130kg (286 pounds), did not have "an acceptable standard of health".

He now faces expulsion despite shedding 30kg since he moved to the city of Christchurch six years ago.

New Zealand has one of the highest obesity rates in the developed world, with nearly 30% of people overweight.

Mr Buitenhuis and his wife, Marthie, moved from South Africa to Christchurch in 2007. At the time, the chef weighed 160kg.

Until now, their annual work visas had been renewed with "very little problem", his wife said.

"We applied year after year and there were no issues," she said.

"They never mentioned Albert's weight or his health once and he was a lot heavier then."

But in early May, the couple was told their work visas had been declined because of Mr Buitenhuis's weight.

"The irony is that at the moment he weighs less than when we first arrived in New Zealand and also less than in his first medical, which was accepted by [immigration authorities]," his wife said.

The couple has appealed to New Zealand's immigration minister, citing the chef's recent weight loss.

An immigration spokesman said Mr Buitenhuis's application had been rejected because his obesity put him at "significant risk" of complications including diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

"It is important that all migrants have an acceptable standard of health to minimise costs and demands on New Zealand's health services," he said.