Immigration (2005)

LABOUR’S VISION

Economic growth under Labour has been high, and unemployment is now at the lowest it's been for many years. As a result New Zealand is experiencing skills shortages. Upskilling New Zealanders to fill the labour and skills gaps will always be the top priority, but in many cases targeted immigration is part of the solution.

Labour has refocused the immigration programme to facilitate the entry of those migrants who are best placed to contribute to the New Zealand economy. At the same time, immigration policy must ensure that New Zealand meets its obligations as a good international citizen, without compromising our country's security. Finally, Labour has moved to ensure that new migrants have the support they need to settle effectively in New Zealand.

LABOUR’S ACHIEVEMENTS

Labour has:

Shifted the focus of skilled immigration policy from the passive acceptance of residence applications to the active recruitment of the skills New Zealand needs by introducing the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), which allows for targeted, flexible, and sustainable immigration.
Introduced integrated migrant settlement and refugee resettlement strategies, established settlement assistance for new migrants, and provided resources to community organisations assisting new migrants and refugee status claimants.
Improved the criteria for the Pacific Access Category and the Samoan Quota, to ensure that they meet their objectives.
Provided leadership in sectors such as the clothing and horticulture industries, assisting in the development of industry wide strategies. In doing so Labour has worked with industries to avoid short-term quick fix immigration approvals.
Increased border security with nearly $30 million committed to managing immigration risks. This has resulted in the strengthening of immigration intelligence capability and the establishment of a dedicated fraud unit. Labour has also introduced Advanced Passenger Processing to identify people who are not wanted in New Zealand before they board a flight.

LABOUR’S PRIORITIES

Labour will:

Continue to focus and fine tune the Skilled Migrant Category to ensure it achieves the best possible results for New Zealand. This includes ensuring that factors such as which part of the country new migrants plan to settle in are taken into account, so that the benefits of immigration flow to all parts of New Zealand.
New Zealand’s needs and the international environment have both changed since the Immigration Act was introduced in 1987. Amendments to the Act have been piecemeal. Labour believes the time has come for a comprehensive review.

Labour will:

Carry out a Comprehensive Review of the Immigration Act to ensure New Zealand’s interests are protected and advanced, while also ensuring that we continue to uphold our international obligations. The review will ensure firm, fast and fair immigration processes that protect New Zealand's interests while also recognising that we want and need visitors and immigrants. Work will be divided into seven broad areas:

Purpose and principles of immigration legislation;
Entry to New Zealand and migrant obligations;
Grant of protection in New Zealand (such as refugees);
Enforcement;
Expulsion;
Review and appeal;
Inter-related issues (such as levels of decision making).

Introduce new legal processes for dealing with security risk certificates and ensure the effective legal oversight of the office of the Inspector of Intelligence and Security.

NEW MIGRANTS

Labour is committed to both New Zealand’s international obligations and to ensuring a high level of compliance with immigration law through a “firm but fair” policy.

Labour will continue to ensure that new migrants are supported as they settle into New Zealand.

Labour will:

Provide support to new migrants through new initiatives such as Settlement Support New Zealand, which will link together government and non government agencies and community groups who provide services for new migrants.
Regulate immigration advisers to protect migrants and potential migrants. While many immigration advisers provide good services, there are insufficient regulatory constraints or market incentives to prevent some advisers providing unethical or incompetent services.
Ensure the Labour Inspectorate monitors employers' use of migrant labour to ensure there is not exploitation of immigrant or refugee workers.
Improve the uptake of English language education for migrants and refugees.

EXPATS INITIATIVE

New Zealanders have always travelled abroad for new experiences and opportunities. This is a great Kiwi tradition. There are nearly half a million New Zealanders living overseas, yet studies show that half of our expatriates think they'll come home.

Expats often have the skills employers are crying out for with unemployment at just 3.7 per cent. It makes sense for the government to help New Zealand employers connect with expats.

Labour will:

Launch a website which has up to date information about New Zealand and can connect expats to the employers, recruiters, real estate agents, and other organisations and information they need when deciding to return home.
Work with the existing range of government and private sector organisations with expat links such as Kiwi Expats Association (KEA), which are creating an expat network around the world and helping them to act as ambassadors for New Zealand.
Promote offshore job expos to expats to help them connect with New Zealand employers.
Provide ways friends and family in New Zealand can connect expats to information about returning.

OTHER INITIATIVES

Labour will:

Continue to remove overstayers from New Zealand, while ensuring that New Zealand's international obligations to provide due process are honoured. Overstayers undermine the New Zealand Immigration Programme and potentially undermine wages and conditions of employment of New Zealand workers.
Focus on upskilling New Zealand Immigration Service staff in immigration policy and procedures.

OTHER REGIONS +NORTHERN