Benefit Receipt of Recent Migrants to New Zealand - 2006

Author: NZ Immigration Service

This report details findings from the 11th annual information match between Ministry of Social Development (MSD) benefit and Department of Labour (the Department) immigration data. The purpose is to determine the extent of benefit receipt by recent migrants.

At the end of June 2006, there were 12,984 records of individuals receiving one of the benefits examined who had an immigration date recorded by MSD on or subsequent to 1 July 1998. Of these 11,366 were successfully matched with Department records. This benefit rate was significantly lower in 2006 than in 2001, falling from 7.2 percent in 2001, to 5.7 percent in 2006.

The reductions in the benefit rate can be attributed to a combination of factors including the New Zealand economy going through a sustained period of growth and falling unemployment, changes in immigration policy in 2001 and the introduction of specific settlement support services to migrants and refugees.

The majority of migrants who were receiving a benefit within two years of being approved for residence had entered under the International/Humanitarian Stream (56 percent), and were predominantly refugees (44 percent), while the Emergency Benefit (EB) was the most common benefit type, received by almost half of all migrant beneficiaries. Those approved for residence under the Skilled/Business Stream had a lower rate of benefit receipt (2.3 percent compared to 5.7 percent overall).

     • See all publications by NZ Immigration Service

All publications in subject category: Immigration - Refugees

     · Annotated Bibliography of New Zealand Literature on Migrant and Refugee Youth
     · Benefit Receipt of Migrants to New Zealand – 2007
     · Housing Markets and Migration: Evidence from New Zealand
     · International Migration Outlook – New Zealand 2008
     · International Trade Negotiations and the Trans-Border Movement of People: A Review of the Literature
     · Long-Term Settlement of Refugees: An Annotated Bibliography of New Zealand and International Literature
     · Looking Back and Building Futures: Former Refugees'' Views on Settling in New Zealand
     · Refugee Resettlement Research Project Report
     · Refugee Resettlement: A literature review
     · The Economic Impact of Immigration on Housing in New Zealand 1991–2016

All publications in subject category: Immigration - Trends, Statistics and Summaries

     · Astronaut Families and Cosmonaut Couples
     · Global Visa & Permit Survey 2008 Summary of Key Findings
     · Housing Markets and Migration: Evidence from New Zealand
     · Indicators of Skill Shortage
     · International Migration Outlook – New Zealand 2008
     · International Migration, 1995-1998: A Report on Current Research and a Bibliography
     · International Trade Negotiations and the Trans-Border Movement of People: A Review of the Literature
     · Migrants In N.Z.: An Analysis of 2001 Census Data
     · Migrants in New Zealand: An Analysis of 1996 Census Data
     · Migrants in New Zealand: An analysis of Labour Market Outcomes for Working Aged Migrants Using 1996 and 2001 Census Data
     · Migration Trends 2005/06 Report
     · Migration Trends 2006/07
     · Migration Trends and Outlook 2007/08
     · Migration Trends Key Indicators Report : July 2009
     · Monthly Migration Trends : July 2008-June 2009
     · New Faces, New Futures: New Zealand
     · People on the Move: A study of migrant movement patterns to and from New Zealand
     · Skilled migrants in New Zealand: a study of settlement outcomes
     · The Economic Impact of Immigration on Housing in New Zealand 1991–2016
     · Trends in Residence Approvals (series)
     · Work Visas and Permits Research

All publications in subject category: Income support policies

     · A focus on employment retention
     · Benefit Receipt of Migrants to New Zealand – 2007
     · Work Capacity Assessment Trial, Phase One results, evaluation report