Deportation, asylum checks, migrant exploitation: Immigration rules set to be tightened
The Government will introduce new legislation to Parliament aimed at strengthening New Zealand’s immigration system, with a focus on tackling migrant exploitation, serious offending, and misuse of asylum processes.
The Immigration (Enhanced Risk Management) Amendment Bill is set to be tabled, outlining a series of targeted changes designed to ensure the system remains “fit for today’s challenges”.
The Bill is expected to have its first reading in the coming weeks before progressing through the full parliamentary process.
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the reforms aim to balance attracting skilled migrants with managing risks.
“Immigration is important for New Zealand, and we are committed to ensuring we continue to attract the skilled people we need, while making it easier to address migrant exploitation, serious criminals, and immigration breaches,” she said.
The new Bill introduces several changes to ensure correct and proportionate tools to manage immigration risks.
“It focuses on striking the right balance between managing risk and maintaining strong safeguards for all people in New Zealand, ensuring our immigration system is fair, functional, and effective.”
A key change includes extending the period during which a person can be deported for serious criminal offending from 10 years to 20 years after gaining residence.
Alongside the Bill, the Government will also table a Parliamentary paper proposing further changes to the asylum system, aimed at maintaining public confidence.
One proposal would amend how New Zealand applies Article 1F(b) of the Refugee Convention. Currently, people who commit serious crimes before arriving in a country can be excluded from refugee status. The proposed change would extend this to include those who commit serious offences in New Zealand before their refugee claim is decided.
“Currently, if a person who has claimed refugee status has been convicted of a serious crime in New Zealand before status determination, Immigration New Zealand is unable to take that into account when making a decision,” Stanford said.
“There are currently 14 refugee known claims from people who have been convicted of serious offences in New Zealand, including murder, serious sexual and drug offences, and arson. This change will mean that Immigration New Zealand can take convictions for crimes committed in New Zealand into account when making a decision on their refugee claim.”
The amendment is intended to ensure equal treatment for those who commit serious crimes before or after arriving in the country, before their refugee status is determined.
Other proposed changes focus on managing asylum claims made in bad faith, including cases where individuals allegedly engage in provocative political activity after arriving in New Zealand to strengthen their claims.
The proposals would also address situations where claimants fail to attend biometric appointments.
“These will ensure that both INZ and the Immigration Protection Tribunal have the ability to deal with cases made in bad faith as swiftly as possible, and that the benefits associated with refugee status are reserved for those who genuinely deserve them,” Stanford said.
The Government said the changes would still uphold New Zealand’s international obligations, including not returning individuals to countries where they may face persecution or serious harm.
“New Zealanders want us to do our part to provide refuge to people who are genuinely fleeing conflict and persecution. However, the privilege of being offered a life in new Zealand needs to be balanced with consequences for people who abuse that privilege or non-genuine claims that seek to take advantage of the system. These proposals strike the right balance between these,” Stanford said.
The Government will introduce new legislation to Parliament aimed at strengthening New Zealand’s immigration system, with a focus on tackling migrant exploitation, serious offending, and misuse of asylum processes.
The Immigration (Enhanced Risk Management) Amendment Bill is set to be tabled,...
The Government will introduce new legislation to Parliament aimed at strengthening New Zealand’s immigration system, with a focus on tackling migrant exploitation, serious offending, and misuse of asylum processes.
The Immigration (Enhanced Risk Management) Amendment Bill is set to be tabled, outlining a series of targeted changes designed to ensure the system remains “fit for today’s challenges”.
The Bill is expected to have its first reading in the coming weeks before progressing through the full parliamentary process.
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the reforms aim to balance attracting skilled migrants with managing risks.
“Immigration is important for New Zealand, and we are committed to ensuring we continue to attract the skilled people we need, while making it easier to address migrant exploitation, serious criminals, and immigration breaches,” she said.
The new Bill introduces several changes to ensure correct and proportionate tools to manage immigration risks.
“It focuses on striking the right balance between managing risk and maintaining strong safeguards for all people in New Zealand, ensuring our immigration system is fair, functional, and effective.”
A key change includes extending the period during which a person can be deported for serious criminal offending from 10 years to 20 years after gaining residence.
Alongside the Bill, the Government will also table a Parliamentary paper proposing further changes to the asylum system, aimed at maintaining public confidence.
One proposal would amend how New Zealand applies Article 1F(b) of the Refugee Convention. Currently, people who commit serious crimes before arriving in a country can be excluded from refugee status. The proposed change would extend this to include those who commit serious offences in New Zealand before their refugee claim is decided.
“Currently, if a person who has claimed refugee status has been convicted of a serious crime in New Zealand before status determination, Immigration New Zealand is unable to take that into account when making a decision,” Stanford said.
“There are currently 14 refugee known claims from people who have been convicted of serious offences in New Zealand, including murder, serious sexual and drug offences, and arson. This change will mean that Immigration New Zealand can take convictions for crimes committed in New Zealand into account when making a decision on their refugee claim.”
The amendment is intended to ensure equal treatment for those who commit serious crimes before or after arriving in the country, before their refugee status is determined.
Other proposed changes focus on managing asylum claims made in bad faith, including cases where individuals allegedly engage in provocative political activity after arriving in New Zealand to strengthen their claims.
The proposals would also address situations where claimants fail to attend biometric appointments.
“These will ensure that both INZ and the Immigration Protection Tribunal have the ability to deal with cases made in bad faith as swiftly as possible, and that the benefits associated with refugee status are reserved for those who genuinely deserve them,” Stanford said.
The Government said the changes would still uphold New Zealand’s international obligations, including not returning individuals to countries where they may face persecution or serious harm.
“New Zealanders want us to do our part to provide refuge to people who are genuinely fleeing conflict and persecution. However, the privilege of being offered a life in new Zealand needs to be balanced with consequences for people who abuse that privilege or non-genuine claims that seek to take advantage of the system. These proposals strike the right balance between these,” Stanford said.
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