Government Approves Ambitious Immigration Survey

  • John Delamare
Immigration

Immigration Minister, Hon Tuariki Delamere, today announced plans for the most ambitious, far-reaching survey ever
conducted into New Zealand's immigration policies.

The eight-year survey is expected to cost about $9 million and will be conducted by the New Zealand Immigration Service
(NZIS).

It will collect information from the same group of migrants after they have been here for six, 18, and 36 months.

'Overseas research has found that the best way to get good information on immigration and settlement is through longitudinal
surveys such as this,' Mr Delamere said.

'The information will provide the basis for fine tuning immigrant selection, as well as labour market, business investment
and social service policies.

'It will provide the means for on-going monitoring and evaluation of specific policies and programmes, and will be
invaluable for the development of settlement services.'

The survey will be funded initially from a proportion of the Migrant Levy paid by successful residence applicants.

A Project Office is being established by the NZIS, with staff appointed by August this year. The first step will be the
development of a pilot survey of 500 migrants. The first results from the pilot survey are expected to be available in
December 2001, with the information being used as quickly as possible where appropriate.

By the time the survey ends in 2007, more than 7000 immigrants will have been questioned.

'The information gathered will benefit not only future immigrants, but the wider community at large as well,' Mr Delamere
said. 'The results of the survey will help to maximise the contribution immigration makes to New Zealand's economic
development as well as to its social fabric.'