Fact Sheet 11 : Immigration

This Fact Sheet was preapred for the July 2002 General Election campaign.

Migration trends turn around

When this Government was elected, various business groups tried to create a sense of panic that people were leaving New Zealand. The Business Round Table secretly assisted someone to start a campaign about talented people fleeing the country.

But there has been a big drop in the number of people leaving New Zealand. For instance, in the last year, there was a net outflow of migrants to Australia of 15,400 which is less than half the net outflow of 31,100 in the April 2001 year. In fact, the net loss of people to Australia rose every year from 1990 until this year.

Balance is essential when it comes to immigration policy

The CTU supports immigration policies that are consistent with workforce and skill development strategies rather than act as quick fixes to recruitment and retention problems.

We want to see employment rights education and enforcement of labour standards (including access to training) for new migrants, an assurance that Immigration Policy has to cross reference to skill development of those already here rather than quick fix (migrants) to suit employers, union involvement in panels to conduct and review labour market tests and discuss talent visa applications.

We support an enhanced refugee and resettlement policy to meet our international responsibilities alongside greater monitoring/tracking of employment destinations of migrants to ensure compliance with employment laws.

Increase in skilled and business migrants

There has been an increase in the number of migrants in the Skilled/Business stream which now accounts for 66% of total approvals. Immigration for the coming year has been set for Skilled/Business at 60% which is 27,000 places (+/- 3000 places), Family Sponsored at 30% which is 13,500 (+/- 1500 places) and International/Humanitarian at 10% or 4,500 (+/- 500 places).

New Zealanders returning

The figures for January 2002 show slightly more than 10% more New Zealanders returning than in January 2001. The events of 11th September 2001 are one factor, but it is also a sign that many New Zealanders are returning to jobs and a good quality of life in New Zealand.

Opposition parties scaremonger on migration

Opposition parties (NZ First and ACT in particular) are trying to incite racial hatred and fear of terrorism in relation to migrants. They condemn the Government for its humanitarian treatment of refugees. The figures on refugees show that in 1998/99 there were 582 people approved and 2288 declined. In 1999/00 there were 520 approved and 1901 declined and in 2000/01 312 approved and 2106 declined. This does not indicate any major change in approach or real increase in refugees being approved.