A Filipino immigrant who spent most of the past two years fighting for his life says that "through the grace of God" he has a new lease of life and a new country to call home.

Roderick Catuday, who was denied an already approved work permit because he was diagnosed with cancer, was last Friday issued with a New Zealand residence permit.

This followed news from his doctors that he is in complete remission from the acute myeloid leukaemia, diagnosed while he was waiting for his passport to be stamped by Immigration New Zealand in 2008.

"I am so overjoyed, I am so lost for words," said Mr Catuday, who now weighs 70kg - up from 46kg when he was ill. "The first thing I did when I received my residency was phone my wife at work to tell her we can now officially call New Zealand our home."

Mr Catuday is married to Emelita, 42, and they have three children, Louise, 18, Gerick, 17, and Danielle, 14.

The family spent yesterday in church in thanksgiving for what Mr Catuday says is the "final touch" to his quest for a new homeland.

His wife and children obtained their residencies in February but he was issued only with a work permit because of his illness.

Donations poured in after Mr Catuday's plight was reported in the Herald, but there was not enough to pay for his $150,000 chemotherapy treatment.

But an Immigration backdown on cancelling his work permit enabled him to qualify for public health funding.

"I have so many people to thank and if I have the means, I will host a big feast to show my appreciation. But financially we are still very tight because we are struggling to survive on just my wife's salary," he said.

Mr Catuday has applied for several jobs and is confident he will be starting work soon as a baker or a chef.

(Source Lincoln Tan, NZ Herald)