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Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse says changes to the migrant investor policy will encourage investments that provide greater economic benefits for New Zealand.

“There’s no doubt the Migrant Investor categories are performing well with $2.9 billion invested since they were launched in July 2009 and a further $2.1 billion in funds committed,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“However, around two thirds of investment is currently placed in bonds and the government believes there is an opportunity to rebalance this towards growth-oriented investments.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse today announced an increase in the number of seasonal workers who can come to New Zealand to work in the horticulture and viticulture industry under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme.

The current cap will be increased by 1,000 from 9,500 to 10,500 RSE workers for the 2016-17 season.

Mr Woodhouse says the horticulture and viticulture industry is New Zealand’s fourth largest export industry, producing almost $5 billion in exports.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse today announced changes to the Government’s New Zealand Residence Programme (NZRP) for the next two years.

“Migrants make a valuable contribution to New Zealand both culturally and economically, and the Government periodically reviews all our immigration settings to make sure they are working as intended,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will partner with the Edmund Hillary Fellowship to bring innovation-based ventures to New Zealand, announced Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse.

“In April, the Government agreed to pilot a new Global Impact Visa (GIVs) in partnership with the private sector, to enable high-impact entrepreneurs, investors and start-up teams to launch global ventures from New Zealand,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse today signed a Working Holiday Scheme with Luxembourg during a meeting with the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn in Wellington.

“This is Luxembourg’s first Working Holiday Scheme and will allow up to 50 young people from New Zealand and Luxembourg to live and work in each other’s countries,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse today welcomed two reports which show the learnings of Immigration New Zealand’s successful Vision 2015 programme in being recognised  as a trusted partner, delivering outstanding immigration services and bringing in the best people New Zealand needs in order to prosper.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse is welcoming the opening of the rebuilt Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre in Auckland.

The Government announced the rebuild of the Centre in the 2013 and 2014 Budgets and has invested $24.7 million in the project.

“The original facilities at Mangere were built during the Second World War and were well past their economic life,” Mr Woodhouse says.

“The new facilities are a vast improvement and will give refugees the best possible start to their new life in New Zealand.”

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse is welcoming the launch of Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ) new identity management system.

The system, known as IDme, enables face photos and fingerprint information from applicants to be captured online and automatically matched against personal data already held by INZ.

“IDme is a major step change in our ability to protect against identity fraud by non-New Zealanders. It gives greater assurance that the visa system detects and prevents identity fraud,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Today the Government announced that it will increase the size of the Refugee Quota from 750 to 1000 places per year from 2018,” says Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse.

“We take our international humanitarian obligations and responsibilities seriously, the increase today demonstrates our commitment to meet the needs of some of the world’s most vulnerable people,” says Mr Woodhouse.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse welcomes a new Global Impact Visa (GIVs) designed to bring innovative, global entrepreneurs to New Zealand.

“Last year the Government committed to considering a new Global Impact Visa to cater for high-impact entrepreneurs, investors and start-up teams to launch global ventures from New Zealand,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Minister of Immigration Michael Woodhouse welcomes a package of measures designed to make it easier for Chinese travellers to visit New Zealand.

The package includes the introduction of eVisas for Chinese nationals applying online and a Chinese version of the RealMe logon service, meaning there is now a complete online Chinese language application process, from registration to approval.

Later this year applicants will also be able to pay for online visa applications using China UnionPay debit and credit cards.

Employers will now have to make lower-skilled employment opportunities available to New Zealanders before supporting a work visa to fill the vacancy, says Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse.

Changes came into force this week which mean that employers considering hiring a migrant for a lower-skilled role will now be required to engage with Work and Income at the beginning of the process to ensure there is no New Zealander available to do the job first.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse welcomes new figures showing the number of overstayers in New Zealand is the lowest this century.

Latest estimates puts the number of overstayers at 10,848 – a considerable decrease of more than 1,300 on the previous estimate of 12,162 in October 2014. The estimated rate of overstaying (the number of overstayers compared with the number of temporary arrivals) is very small by international standards at around 3.5 in 10,000 (0.035%).

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse will today travel to Indonesia to attend the sixth Bali Process Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime.

The Conference brings together 43 countries to find practical measures to deter and disrupt the irregular movement of people.

“The Bali Process is an opportunity for New Zealand to confirm our support and commitment to tackling the problem of people smuggling and human trafficking,” Mr Woodhouse says.

Tihe mauri ora!

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e rau rangatira mā

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa

It’s my great privilege on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand to welcome you to your new home here in New Zealand. 

Each one of you arrives here from different places and different experiences. I cannot begin to imagine the horrors you have experienced and the personal sacrifices you have made to make the journey to New Zealand. Many of you will have left behind family members as well as jobs, friends and a way of life.