General Publications
WORKING BETTER: Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2007
VOTE IMMIGRATION
Summary financial performance
| Year ended 30 June 2007 | Actual $000 | Voted[5] $000 | Variance Fav/(Unfav) $000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Crown (GST excl) | |||
| Services to increase the capacity of New Zealand through immigration |
54,128 | 54,128 | - |
| Services to position New Zealand as an international citizen with immigration- related interests and obligations |
14,834 | 14,834 | - |
| Sub total | 68,962 | 68,962 | - |
| Revenue Department (GST excl) | |||
| Services to increase the capacity of New Zealand through immigration |
1,173 | 1,139 | 34 |
| Services to position New Zealand as an international citizen with immigration- related interests and obligations |
988 | 1,006 | (18) |
| Sub total | 2,161 | 2,145 | 16 |
| Revenue Other (GST excl) | |||
| Services to increase the capacity of New Zealand through immigration |
83,824 | 88,300 | (4,476) |
| Services to position New Zealand as an international citizen with immigration- related interests and obligations |
827 | 764 | 63 |
| Sub total | 84,651 | 89,064 | (4,413) |
| Interest - non NZDMO (GST n/a) | 112 | 11 | 101 |
| Total (incl interest) | 155,886 | 160,182 | (4,296) |
| Departmental Output Expenses (GST excl) | |||
| Services to increase the capacity of New Zealand through immigration |
142,655 | 145,528 | 2,873 |
| Services to position New Zealand as an international citizen with immigration- related interests and obligations |
15,971 | 16,591 | 620 |
| Total | 158,626 | 162,119 | 3,493 |
| Crown Revenue (GST excl) | |||
| Migrant levy |
11,364 | 11,528 | (164) |
| Other receipts[7] |
5,002 | - | 5,002 |
| Total | 16,366 | 11,528 | 4,838 |
| Other Expenses to be Incurred by the Crown (GST Excl) | |||
| RRB, RRA and RSAA members' salaries and allowances |
607 | 644 | 37 |
| Total | 607 | 644 | 37 |
Output class: Services to increase the capacity of New Zealand through immigration
Services in this output class are aimed at increasing New Zealand's capacity for prosperity by growing the number of people coming to New Zealand, on either a permanent or a temporary basis, who are able to contribute to our economy and our society.
The globalisation of labour markets and the increased mobility of skills and people world-wide require New Zealand, as a small and distant country, to strategically connect in attracting talent to build a world-class productive workforce. Access to global talent is crucial if New Zealand is to attract and retain people with the right skills to achieve the goal of economic transformation. New Zealand's prosperity is also enhanced by people coming to New Zealand as tourists, students and temporary workers. At the same time, there is a need for protection of our border to ensure security and safety. New Zealanders need to have confidence that we have the ability to keep out those people we do not want, while attracting and retaining people with the skills and talent we require to increase New Zealand's economic growth and prosperity. This output class enables these things to occur.
Contribution to the long-term goals
These services contribute to two of the Department's long-term goals:
- Our place in the world: New Zealand will prosper through its connections with the rest of the world.
- Our workforce: The skills of our workers will ensure New Zealand enterprises are leaders internationally.
Contribution to the medium-term priorities
These services contribute to supporting New Zealand's prosperity through:
- an immigration programme that adds to the richness of our society
- border security arrangements that manage risk.
They also influence the supply of skilled labour by:
- better targeting the immigration programme.
Activities
We do this in three main ways:
- Advising government on immigration and workforce policy.
- Increasing the size and quality of New Zealand's workforce to support economic growth, by facilitating quality people coming to New Zealand to meet our labour market needs and by delivering a fair and effective immigration process.
- Facilitating travel and managing risk as people move in and out of New Zealand, so that New Zealanders are confident of the security of the border.
The activities, performance measures and forecast standards for each of these three activity groups are set out below.
Advising government on immigration and workforce policy
Advice is aimed at ensuring policy and legislation fits with and drives the achievement of New Zealand's workforce goals, which include skilled migration to increase capacity. By ensuring policy development is based on information and analysis of national and international workforce trends, we provide continually improving frameworks for decision-making, resulting in better outcomes for New Zealand. The global immigration environment is changing, presenting opportunities and challenges. Some of the key drivers of change are the increasing circulation of people within a globalised world; increasing competition from existing and new competitor countries for talent and skills, in the face of ageing populations and falling fertility; a more diverse population as an outcome of immigration; and increased risks requiring better border management. To reposition the immigration system to face these challenges requires a strong legislative foundation and a repositioned and sound, future-focused policy framework.
The key activities are:
- advising on delivering positive economic advantages for New Zealand through immigration
- advising on immigration legislation, regulation and policy that enhances New Zealand's workforce
- advising on policy settings to attract and retain skilled migrants
- developing policies and strategies to encourage skilled New Zealanders working offshore to return here
- research and data collection to provide high-quality evidence-based policy advice on immigration and the workforce
- research and evaluation about migrant labour market participation, migration trends and statistics
- research and evaluation to determine the success of interventions and their impact on the business sector and the economy
- providing ministerial servicing and advice.
Performance information
| Performance standard | Performance to 30 June 2007 |
|---|---|
| The Minister of Immigration is satisfied with the quality of the Department's policy advice. | The Minister rated the quality of advice for 2006/07 at an average of 3.14 out of 5 (where 3 is average, 4 is good and 5 is excellent). |
| The Minister of Immigration is satisfied with the quality of the Department's ministerial servicing. | The Minister rated the quality of the Department's ministerial servicing for 2006/07 at an average of 3.14 out of 5 (where 3 is average, 4 is good and 5 is excellent). |
| The policy development process and resultant advice provided is assessed as high quality through external and internal review of projects. | The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) is currently undertaking a review of the quality of policy advice provided to the departmental Ministers. It is expected to be completed in September 2007. Policy papers follow a standard advice process with a clear procedure for quality assurance. All policy papers were reviewed internally, and Cabinet papers were subject to external agency review. |
| Policy advice and ministerial servicing will be delivered as agreed with the Minister of Immigration and as detailed in the Vote Immigration Output Plan. | Policy advice and ministerial servicing were delivered as agreed with the Minister of Immigration and as detailed in the 2006/07 Vote Immigration Output Plan. |
Increasing the size and quality of New Zealand's workforce to support economic growth
By facilitating people who can meet our labour market needs to come to New Zealand, and delivering a fair and effective immigration process, we aim to increase the supply of skilled labour. With an increasing international demand for skilled labour, New Zealand must work hard to attract suitably skilled people in the short term, and retain them in the long term. Skill and labour shortages are a major issue for many New Zealand businesses, and we aim to meet those workforce shortages by both temporary and permanent migration. Business migration provides business expertise and investment capital to contribute to economic growth. Visitors and students contribute to the growth of New Zealand's tourism and international education industries, which in turn support economic growth. This work is directed by the annual immigration programme.
As we work to increase the size and quality of New Zealand's workforce, we are undertaking an immigration change programme focused on skills, security and settlement. The new business model involves a key change in where immigration decisions are made. The existing model of decentralised decision-making, with many decisions made offshore by non-New Zealanders, will change so that decisions are made onshore by New Zealanders. The new model also changes the way in which services are delivered. This includes an information system, strongly linked to intelligence information, which assists decision-makers to make better judgements. It will enable New Zealand to facilitate the entry of high-value, low-risk people, thus increasing the size of the New Zealand workforce with positive economic and social benefits.
The key activities are:
- bringing in skilled migrants to increase New Zealand's workforce capacity
- meeting New Zealand's acute labour needs through temporary immigration
- facilitating student and visitor entries to support New Zealand's tourism and education industries
- bringing in investment capital and entrepreneurial capacity through business migration
- encouraging skilled expatriates to return to New Zealand
- facilitating family reunification for migrants
- providing ministerial servicing and advice.
Performance information
| Performance standard | Performance to 30 June 2007 |
|---|---|
| Percentage of people approved residence under the skilled stream overseas in the 2005/06 year that take up residence in New Zealand by 30 June 2007. Standard: 95%. | 95% or 9,910 of the 10,400 people issued with a residence visa offshore in 2005/06 had arrived in New Zealand by 30 June 2007. This is similar to 2004/05 when 96% of people approved in 2004/05 had arrived by 30 June 2006. Arriving in New Zealand and taking up residence is a prerequisite for migrants' ability to contribute to New Zealand's capacity. |
| Percentage of skilled migrant principal applicants who have jobs or job offers. Standard: 60%. | 83% of skilled migrant principal applicants approved had jobs or relevant job offers. This is higher than in 2005/06, when 77% had jobs or relevant job offers. This reflects the changes to the Expression of Interest (EOI) selection point which, targets people with higher points and people with jobs or job offers. To lodge an application under the Skilled Migrant Category, the EOI must be selected from the pool and an Invitation to Apply (ITA) issued. Employment in an occupation in which the applicant is experienced or has a related qualification is an indicator of skill transfer and utilisation in New Zealand. |
| Percentage of skilled migrant principal applicants in employment within six months of arrival or, if onshore, from time of approval. Standard: 75%. | 94% of skilled principal applicants were employed 12 months after approval, if onshore, or after arrival in New Zealand. The results were taken from Life in New Zealand: Settlement Experiences of Skilled Migrants, results from the 2005 survey, which was published in February 2006. The preliminary results for the 2006 survey indicates that, at 6 months after approval, if onshore, or arrival in New Zealand, over 75% of skilled principal applicants are employed. |
| Minimum percentage of migrant approvals under the business/skilled stream. Standard: 60%. |
60% of the 46,964 people approved for residence were approved under the Skilled/Business stream. The following number of people were approved for residence:
|
| Percentage of businesses established under the Long-Term Business Category operating according to their business plan at the end of the nine-month renewal period. Standard: 75%. | 31 businesses established under the Long-Term Business Category became eligible for their nine-month renewal assessment during 2006/07. 90% were assessed as operating according to their business plan and accordingly were granted a permit for the balance of three years. Three months was allowed for the renewal application processing time. |
| Proportion of work permits and talent visa granted in known skill shortage areas. Standard: Greater than 2005/06. | 27% or 11,300 of the 41,782 work applications where the occupation was recorded were approved for occupations in known skill shortage areas. This is similar to the 26% recorded in 2005/06. The number of work permits and talent visas decided by the Department is demand driven. |
| Report on initiatives undertaken to build and maintain positive relationships with educational institutions and tourism bodies. |
Education The Department continued to support the promotion of New Zealand as an educational destination by providing assistance to institutions attending education fairs and expos. Offshore branches continued to work closely with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to support their education initiatives. The Department also worked closely with Education New Zealand and student agents in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on their respective student programmes. The Department provided training for new student agents and attended agent seminars to provide support to existing agents. Two educational institutions were successful in their applications to become online partners via Students Online. Tourism The Department worked at the Tourism New Zealand What's On campaign launch in Sydney in July 2006. The Department was also involved in Tourism New Zealand's week-long promotion in India, with presentations being made to top-selling agents in the market. The Department worked with Air New Zealand prior to and after the launch of their direct flights between Auckland and Shanghai. This included expediting visas for their Chinese trainees needing to undertake a New Zealand-based training programme. To support the introduction of this service, departmental staff attended the refresher training held by Tourism New Zealand for the Approved Destination Status (ADS) travel agents, prior to the official launch. |
| Percentage of customers satisfied with the quality of the Department's service. | The timing of the 2006/07 customer satisfaction survey means that the results are not yet available. |
| Expected number of temporary visa and permit decisions. Number: 444,000. |
436,488 temporary visa and permit decisions were made during the year. The number of temporary entry decisions made for the following application types were:
|
Number of employers accredited and corresponding talent visas issued will be monitored:
|
During the year:
|
| Number of expected residence decisions (by stream). Number: 24,975. |
27,939 residence decisions were made in 2006/07. Of these:
|
| Number of Expressions of Interest received. Number: 15,755. | 18,679 new Skilled Migrant Category Expressions of Interest were received during the year[8]. |
| The number of Expressions of Interest decided. Number: 13,090. | 17,933 Skilled Migrant Category Expressions of Interest were decided during the year after being selected from the pool[9]. |
| The number of Invitations to Apply issued will be monitored. | 14,007 Skilled Migrant Category Invitations to Apply were issued during the year[10]. |
| Number of Skilled Migrant Category decisions. Number: 12,088. | 12,478 Skilled Migrant Category decisions were made during the year. |
| Percentage of visa and permit decisions decided in accordance with critical elements of Government policy. Standard: 95%. | 98% of temporary entry and residence decisions were made in accordance with critical elements of Government policy. This is calculated by checking a random sample of temporary entry and residence decisions made at each branch on a monthly basis. |
| Number of Removal Review Authority appeals received and processed. Number: 375-400. |
During 2006/07:
|
| Number of Residence Review Board appeals received and processed. Number: 350-375. |
During 2006/07:
|
| Numbers of ministerial appeals reducing i.e. the number of appeals referred to the Minister are less than in 2005/06. Number: 3,000-4,000. |
During 2006/07:
|
| Removal Review Authority members' satisfaction with the quality of the Department's services. (Scale 1-5). Standard: >3.75. | A survey of the Removal Review Authority members returned an overall rating of 4.96 out of 5. |
| Residence Review Board members' satisfaction with the quality of the Department's services. (Scale 1-5). Standard: >3.75. | A survey of the Residence Review Board members returned an overall rating of 4.81 out of 5. |
Facilitating travel and managing risk as people move in and out of New Zealand, so that New Zealanders are confident of the security of the border
In facilitating travel into New Zealand, we need to make the entry of people with a legal right to be here as smooth and fast as possible. In managing risk, we need to ensure that people with no legal right to be in our country are denied entry. This balance between facilitating travel and managing risk is aided by good decision-making based on excellent verified information, and cooperation with other New Zealand government and international agencies. Participation in regional and international security groups further develops our knowledge and processes in achieving this balance, and the use of technology and international agreements enables us to prevent the boarding and arrival of people who pose security risks or have inadequate documentation. Detecting and removing people in New Zealand who no longer have legal status, and detection of people who may have entered illegally, is enhanced by increased investigation of immigration fraud and improved detection of fraudulent documentation.
The key activities are:
- advising on border facilitation and security issues
- maintaining and continually developing border security and facilitation systems
- authenticating migrants
- encouraging and, where required, enforcing compliance with immigration law
- contributing to, and influencing, national and international security initiatives and intelligence
- expanding and strengthening our reach through information-sharing alliances
- strengthening and supporting immigration services in the Pacific
- providing ministerial servicing and advice.
Performance information
| Performance standard | Performance to 30 June 2007 |
|---|---|
| Number of migrants taking up emergency income support benefits within two years of arrival. | The memorandum of understanding for the annual data match with the Ministry of Social Development is currently being negotiated. The data match will begin in September 2007.The match this year will cover the same benefits as the previous two matches and have point in time estimates as at 30 June for the years 2001-2007. |
| Report on initiatives undertaken to manage risks in respect of border security and non-compliance with immigration requirements. |
The Risk Targeting Programme was successfully implemented and is staffed by the Advance Passenger Screening Support Office. The Regional Movement Alert List (RMAL) was renamed the Regional Movement Alert System (RMAS). RMAS was redeveloped to provide 'positive validation' so that travel document authenticity will be confirmed by validation against all passport records. This enhancement means counterfeit travel documents can be more readily identified.The Regional Liaison Officer (Pacific) position was established in January 2007 to be responsible for ensuring effective delivery of Workforce (Immigration) risk management outcomes by strengthening New Zealand's border security capability in the Pacific.The intelligence analyst was relocated from the Central Verification Unit to Compliance Operations to strengthen intelligence collection and analysis in the compliance activity. An Immigration Intelligence Unit analyst worked as an Airline Liaison Officer at Shanghai Airport from November 2006-February 2007 to coincide with the commencement of the direct Air New Zealand flight service from Shanghai to Auckland in November 2006. Site visits were conducted in south China, with the information gathered being shared within the Department and entered into the Client Risk Methodology (CRiSM) system. CRiSM is a tool that assists with the assessment of client risk during application processing. Launch of Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) compliance initiative During the first half of 2007 a number of joint departmental compliance operations were conducted in the horticulture and viticulture industries. Operations were carried out in conjunction with Workplace in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay/Gisborne, Nelson/Blenheim and Canterbury/Otago areas. The focus of the operations was to ensure compliance with immigration and labour policy and law prior to the implementation of the RSE scheme. |
| Report on initiatives undertaken to facilitate entry of persons with legal right to enter New Zealand. | The compliance processes were implemented for the RSE scheme after the policy was operationalised during the June 2007 quarter. The Department met with the healthcare industry to discuss an approach for dealing with workplace/labour market checks and labour shortages. A Department-wide initiative for Northland occurred in May 2007 which was seeking to address the region's seasonal labour issues. The Department realigned its border compliance operational activities and focuses to better support the outcomes relating to high-risk areas of work. |
| Level and composition of the overstayer population and the rate of overstaying against overall arrivals. | An estimation exercise took place on 31 October 2006. It shows the number of overstayers was 17,364, a decrease of 1,727 since April 2006. The rate of overstaying in comparison to the number of temporary arrivals is: 0.11%. The countries with the highest numbers of overstayers are Samoa (3,582), China (2,584), Tonga (2,136) and Great Britain (1,034). A second sample was taken in April 2007. The report will be published when it has been completed. |
| Percentage reduction compared to the previous year in the number of undocumented passengers arriving in New Zealand. Standard: 10%. | During 2006/07, 51 undocumented passengers arrived in New Zealand, 40% fewer than the 85 that arrived in 2005/06. |
| Percentage of new failed refugee claimants who depart or are removed during the year. Standard: 50%. | In 2006/07, 50% of new failed refugee claimants[11] were removed or departed. |
| Percentage of enforcement activities conducted in accordance with critical elements of Government policy. Standard: 95%. | 97% of enforcement activities were conducted in accordance with critical elements of Government policy. |
| Detection and removal due to a data match with the Department of Corrections. | As a result of the data match with the Department of Corrections, 22 persons were removed or deported during the year. |
| The number of investigations and removals, deportations, section 35A permits and voluntary departures. Number: 1,600-1,800. |
2,035 investigations and removals, deportations, section 35A permits and voluntary departures took place, comprising:
|
The number of:
|
212 failed refugee claimants[12] were removed with a further 151 failed refugee claimants departing voluntarily. |
|
43 non-genuine refugee cancellation decisions were made. |
|
Four people were received into the Auckland Central Remand Centre (a Corrections facility). |
|
34 people were held in open and secure accommodation. |
|
17 people were released, on conditions, into community-based accommodation. |
|
33 prosecutions were completed. |
|
The following permit revocations were completed:
|
|
17 people were deported. |
|
Staff conducted 65 employer site visits to encourage compliance with the Immigration Act 1987. |
|
63 new cases were received. |
|
838 boarding requests were declined under the Advanced Passenger Processing (APP) system. This is significantly higher than the 680 boarding requests that were refused in 2005/06. |
|
67 people were interdicted offshore. |
|
1,328 people were refused entry at the border. |
Financial performance Figures are GST exclusive
| Year ended 30 June 2007 | Actual $000 | Main estimates $000 | Supp. estimates $000 | Actual as a % of supp. estimates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue: | ||||
|
Crown |
54,128 | 50,469 | 54,128 | 100.0% |
|
Department |
1,173 | 1,076 | 1,139 | 103.0% |
|
Other |
83,824 | 88,428 | 88,300 | 94.9% |
| Total Revenue | 139,125 | 139,973 | 143,567 | 96.9% |
| Total Expenses | 142,655 | 139,924 | 145,528 | 98.0% |
| Net Surplus/(Deficit) | (3,530) | 49 | (1,961) | - |
The increase in appropriation of $5.604 million in the Supplementary Estimates is primarily due to funding for compliance support and core processing for the Temporary Work Policy: RSE scheme ($0.589 million); funding from the 2006/07 migrant levy unallocated revenue for Immigration Research and Evaluation ($0.395 million) - short-term surveys for Understanding pre-settlement information needs and the transition from temporary to permanent residence, and for Migrant youth: Integration and social networks, a transfer of funding from 2005/06 to 2006/07 for the redirection of funding to high priority new initiatives ($0.899 million), funding implementation costs for the Immigration Act Review ($0.142 million), funding further development of the Immigration Business Transformation business case ($1.980 million), funding the Migrant and Refugee Settlement Action Plan Development: Enhancing Regional Responsiveness to Settlement ($0.426 million), a fiscally neutral adjustment to reflect a new cost allocation methodology established across the Department ($0.348 million), a fiscally neutral adjustment to reflect favourable foreign exchange variations on third party funded immigration services, which also unfavourably impacts on the expenditure incurred overseas ($1.803 million), forecast changes to recognise the allocation of funds from the Pacific Security Fund and the Bilateral Fee Waiver Scheme ($0.161 million), and a forecast change to reflect changes in the mix of forecast transactions and cost structures across various markets, which results in a net revenue decrease and a net cost increase ($0.138 million).
Decreases in appropriations in 2006/07 from the prior year were the result of delayed programmes ($1.015 million). Also funding was transferred for fees, salaries and allowances for members of the Residence Review Board, the Removal Review Authority and the Refugee Status Appeal Authority to a new Non-Departmental Other Expense ($0.309 million).
The $3.530 million actual deficit was primarily due to lower than expected immigration fees in Revenue Other.
Expenditure incurred up to 31 March 2007 on fees, salaries and allowances for the Residence Review Board, Removal Review Authority and the Refugee Status Appeal Authority is outside the scope of the appropriation ($0.882 million).
Output class: Services to position New Zealand as an international citizen with immigration-related interests and obligations
Services in this output class are aimed at enhancing settlement of migrants and refugees; meeting our international obligations, particularly to Pacific Island countries and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); and promoting New Zealand's immigration and related security interests by building relationships with multilateral organisations and other nations.
Contribution to the long-term goals
These services contribute to the Department's long-term goal:
- Our place in the world: New Zealand will prosper through its connections with the rest of the world.
Contribution to the medium-term priorities
These services contribute to supporting New Zealand's prosperity through:
- making migrants feel welcome
- building relationships and partnering with other nations
- support for Pacific nations.
Activities
We do this in two main ways:
- Providing services to enhance settlement and fulfil international obligations.
- Pursuing New Zealand's international immigration and related security interests.
The activities, performance measures and forecast standards for these two activity groups are set out below.
Providing services to enhance settlement and fulfil international obligations
Migrants' ability to participate in the workforce and in New Zealand society requires them to be well settled within a supportive environment. Activities which support and enhance settlement occur across government agencies. The Department of Labour is responsible for facilitating these responsive services to help migrants and refugees settle well and integrate into communities. The Department is also responsible for the provision of appropriate information to assist settlement. This activity is outlined in the New Zealand Settlement Strategy.
Fulfilling New Zealand's international obligations is an essential aspect of being a good international citizen and includes providing a safe haven for refugees and responding to humanitarian crises. Refugees mandated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are provided with protection and resettlement services. We also provide safe haven and settlement support where appropriate to spontaneous asylum seekers during the determination process. Provision of a fair and effective immigration process includes the right of appeal and services to support the Refugee Status Appeals Authority.
New Zealand has a specific focus on supporting Pacific nations, and the Department links with Pacific nations regarding immigration, workforce and security issues. The Samoan Quota and the Pacific Access Category are components of the international stream of the annual immigration programme.
The key activities are:
- implementing the New Zealand Settlement Strategy
- providing appropriate information to potential migrants offshore and new migrants onshore to support settlement
- coordinating with other government departments and agencies
- receiving and resettling UNHCR mandated refugees and determining claims for asylum
- providing support services to the Refugee Status Appeals Authority
- contributing to and influencing international initiatives to resolve refugee issues
- responding to, and maintaining, our preparedness to respond to humanitarian crises
- enhancing bilateral relationships between New Zealand and Pacific nations through the Samoan Quota and the Pacific Access Category
- identifying and responding to Pacific immigration and settlement issues
- identifying and responding to Pacific security issues.
Performance information
| Performance standard | Performance to 30 June 2007 |
|---|---|
| Appropriate and coordinated information services are provided to potential migrants (offshore) and new migrants (onshore). | The streamlining of the provision of information for the Settlement Support New Zealand initiative will be implemented in the first quarter of 2007/08. This includes a new 'Welcome to New Zealand' booklet directing users to the appropriate sources of local information and services to assist their settlement post-arrival in New Zealand. The www.nzrecruitme.co.nz website was implemented by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, which now provides a further channel for providing information to offshore potential migrants. |
| Services facilitating settlement of migrants, refugees and their families will be effective and their key achievements will be reported six-monthly. | The Department manages nine settlement programmes contracts that provide local community-based settlement support and employment services. These settlement programmes provided information via orientation sessions, websites, tailored sessions, and answers to telephone enquiries. The New Kiwis employment website provided links between businesses and job seekers, as well as providing information on how to job search in New Zealand and providing job search assistance and advice. Good progress has been made for the first six months of the year, with more detailed updates to be provided in the next round of reporting, as annual reports from service providers are not due to the Department until the end of July 2007. The Settlement Support New Zealand initiative was introduced into the last nine areas. The initiative has created a national network of migrant resource services to improve access to settlement information and advice for migrants and refugees, and strengthen the responsiveness of local agencies to their settlement needs. |
| The progress of the whole-of-government approach to implementing the New Zealand Settlement Strategy is reported to the Minister of Immigration six-monthly. | Progress reports were presented to joint Ministers in July 2006 and April 2007. The July 2006 report focused on the implementation of the Ethnic Responsiveness Strategies by central government agencies and development of National Settlement Action Plans, and outlined the results of a survey of the National Settlement Structure and Settlement Secretariat. The April 2007 report noted that Cabinet had agreed to a new vision and high-level goals, and that the Settlement National Action Plan be the basis for interagency activities to enhance settlement outcomes. It also noted that most of the initiatives were on track, and a brief overview of the achievements was provided. |
| Participating agencies assess as satisfactory the Department's services provided through the Settlement Secretariat annually. | A survey was undertaken in July 2007, with the results not yet available. |
| Settlement Support New Zealand initiative will undergo a full evaluation with a report due on 30 June 2007. | The draft Evaluation of Settlement Support New Zealand report was received in July 2007. The final report is expected in the first quarter of 2007/08. The preliminary findings of the Settlement Support New Zealand evaluation shows that it offers some key structures that are designed to make it easier for migrants and refugees to access information and services, and provides better coordination of the service providers. This has created a good foundation for an effective settlement support system, particularly in smaller centres where there were no pre-existing networks or limited networks. The main findings of the research are that key aspects of the Settlement Support New Zealand programme are improving access to information for migrants and refugees. |
| The Samoan Quota and Pacific Access Category components of the Immigration Programme will be filled. | 1,106 people were approved under the Samoan Quota, and 1,199 people were approved under the Pacific Access Category. This includes people approved under previous years' quotas and their respective residual policies.The number of residence places available each year for applicants (and their partners and families) is 1,100 for Samoa, 250 each for Tonga and Fiji, and 75 each for Kiribati and Tuvalu. Extra places were allocated under the Residual Places Policy. |
| International standards relating to refugee processing, assessment and detention procedures will be met as assessed annually by the UNHCR. | The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reviewed 30 decisions made by the Refugee Status Branch, with 24 meeting UNHCR criteria. Six cases did not meet UNHCR criteria, primarily as a result of differences in UNHCR and New Zealand refugee jurisprudence. All UNHCR comments were reviewed and provided to staff. No systematic changes were made as a result of the feedback. |
| Consultation on the composition of the Refugee Quota that takes into account settlement factors and infrastructure impacts will be completed and reported annually. | The composition of the refugee quota has been drafted for 2007/08, taking into account all submissions from stakeholders. Consultation with key stakeholders will continue until the 2007/08 quota composition is finalised. |
| A quarterly survey of a sample group of refugees to confirm the appropriateness of security arrangements and support provided. (Scale 1-5). Standard: >3.75. | The survey of Refugee Quota Branch customers resulted in an annual satisfaction rating of 4.32, compared with a rating of 4.54 in 2005/06. The survey of the Refugee Status Branch was sent to all approved refugee claimants and resulted in an annual satisfaction rating of 4.92, compared with a rating of 4.65 in 2005/06. |
| Quarterly reports on Department activities that contribute to developing international protection systems and resolving refugee issues in the region. | The Department continued to contribute to the UNHCR project to loan staff to assist with the refugee determination process in Papua New Guinea. Staff on secondment to the UNHCR assisted the Papua New Guinea government with amending the existing legislation, development of refugee status determination, documentation and registration of refugees, and held workshops with government officials in border areas. The Department worked on a UNHCR initiative to focus on alleviating regional pressures identified by them, particularly within India, Thailand and Malaysia. This involved taking quota refugees from refugee camps within those countries. |
| The number of UNHCR-mandated refugees travelling to New Zealand provided with initial settlement services. Number: 675-825. | Five refugee intakes have taken place - in July, September and November 2006, and March and May 2007.696 refugees have arrived in New Zealand and have been provided with resettlement services. Numbers are at the lower end of forecasts (675-825) due to logistical difficulties including higher than expected positive TB cases which required treatment prior to travelling to New Zealand, and exit permit difficulties. |
| The average age of undecided refugee status claims on hand. Standard: 20 weeks. | As at 30 June 2007, the average age of undecided refugee claims on hand was 15 weeks. |
| Refugee Status Appeals Authority members' satisfaction with the quality of the Department's services. (Scale 1-5). Standard: >3.75. | A survey of the Refugee Status Appeals Authority members returned an overall rating of 4.67 out of 5. |
| Number of required determinations of refugee status claims. Number: 500. |
During the year:
|
| Number of new Refugee Status Appeals Authority appeals and cancellations received and processed. Number: 250-275. |
During the year:
|
| Annual report on activities in response to international humanitarian crises in the region. | Events such as the Honiara riots in the Solomons, riots in Tonga and the Fiji coup continued to pose significant challenges for the Department during the year. Crisis teams were activated to support business continuity and manage risks during these events. |
| The average age of cases on hand with the Refugee Status Appeals Authority will be monitored. | As at 30 June 2007, the average age of appeals on hand with the Refugee Status Appeals Authority was six months and 13 days, compared to five months and 16 days as at 30 June 2006. |
Pursuing New Zealand's international immigration and related security interests
By building relationships with multilateral organisations and other nations, New Zealand enhances its ability to not only provide immigration and border security, but also to contribute to New Zealand's international presence and influence. The Department represents New Zealand's immigration-related interests offshore, alongside other relevant government departments. While there are clear systems for the international flow of goods and capital, this is not the case for people flows, which are becoming increasingly complex. In 2005, there were nearly 200 million migrants globally, compared with 82 million in 1970. Globally, there is a tendency towards temporary or even circular migration, instead of permanent. At the same time, there is an enhanced focus on security in the wake of international terrorism, with the balance between security and facilitation becoming a key issue for successful migration management. The activities we undertake internationally not only benefit New Zealand by increasing understanding and cooperation in migration management, but also enable us to build key relationships with other countries, providing long-term benefits for both parties in terms of sustainability and security.
The key activities are:
- participating in multilateral security and law and order initiatives to advance New Zealand's immigration-related interests
- participating in the negotiation of bilateral trade agreements and closer economic partnerships to ensure the movement of labour accords with New Zealand's interests and immigration legislation
- coordinating with other government departments and agencies.
Performance information
| Performance standard | Performance to 30 June 2007 |
|---|---|
| The Minister of Immigration is satisfied with the quality of the Department's policy advice. | The Minister rated the quality of the advice for 2006/07 at an average of 3.14 out of 5 (where 3 is average, 4 is good and 5 is excellent). |
| Quarterly reports on participation and assistance given to others to participate in multilateral initiatives to promote New Zealand's trade, security and law and order immigration-related interests. | In October 2006, the Department became the chair of the Pacific Immigration Directors' Conference (PIDC) and hosted the 10th Annual PIDC and Management Board meetings. New Zealand also took over chair of the UNHCR Working Group on Resettlement and the Annual Tripartite Consultations in Refugee Resettlement. The Department also participated in various meetings and working groups of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the International Governmental Consultations on Refugees, Asylum and Migration (IGC). This enabled the Department to comment on strategic and emerging issues related to migration, security and protection, and provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about new initiatives. In October 2006, the Department participated in the IGC Technology Working Group which, discussed practical and policy- related biometric developments and the role of documentation in effective immigration systems. The inaugural meeting of the Australia New Zealand Immigration Forum (ANZIF) was held in Canberra. It provided an opportunity for closer engagement and constructive exchange between the two countries. The Department hosted the Australian Ministerial Council on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (MCIMA) and its Standing Committee (SCIMA). The Department attended MCIMA as observers and held a bilateral meeting with Australian officials where Pacific and refugee issues were discussed. In September 2006, the Department led a New Zealand delegation to the United Nations High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. The discussions at the meeting and its round tables focused on the multidimensional aspects of international migration and development, and identifying the appropriate ways and means to maximise development and minimise its negative aspects. As a result, the Global Forum for Migration and Development was formed. |
Financial performance Figures are GST exclusive
| Year ended 30 June 2007 | Actual $000 | Main estimates $000 | Supp. estimates $000 | Actual as a % of supp. estimates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue: | ||||
|
Crown |
14,834 | 15,732 | 14,834 | 100.0% |
|
Department |
988 | 1,006 | 1,006 | 98.2% |
|
Other |
827 | 762 | 764 | 108.2% |
| Total Revenue | 16,649 | 17,500 | 16,604 | 100.3% |
| Total Expenses | 15,971 | 17,487 | 16,591 | 96.3% |
| Net Surplus/(Deficit) | 678 | 13 | 13 | - |
The decrease in appropriation of $0.896 million in the Supplementary Estimates was due to a fiscally neutral adjustment to reflect a new cost allocation methodology established across the Department ($1.304 million), and a fiscally neutral adjustment transferring funding for fees, salaries and allowances for members of the Residence Review Board, the Removal Review Authority and the Refugee Status Appeal Authority to a new Non-Departmental Other Expense ($0.335 million).
Appropriation increases were also received to cover inter-departmental travel relating to the Doha Development round and CEP/FTA negotiations ($0.076 million) and for facilitative measures for the Temporary Work Policy: RSE scheme ($0.665 million).
The $0.678 million actual surplus includes an approved in-principle transfer of funding of $0.175 million to 2007/08 in respect of Pacific facilitation funding for the Temporary Work Policy: RSE scheme.
Expenditure incurred up to 31 March 2007 on fees, salaries and allowances for the Residence Review Board, Removal Review Authority and the Refugee Status Appeal Authority is outside the scope of the appropriation ($0.935 million).
[5] Voted figures include adjustments made in the Supplementary Estimates and transfers under the Public Finance Act 1989