EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Purpose of this report

This report builds a profile of migrant and refugee youth (people aged 12 to 24 years) in New Zealand by analysing immigration approval data (1998 to 2007) and Census of Population and Dwellings (census) data (1996, 2001, and 2006).

Data is reported separately for two age groups: 12- to 17-year-olds (school age) and 18- to 24-year-olds (post-school age).^[1]

The report covers a range of characteristics and key outcomes, including immigration approval trends, demographic data, ethnic identity, English language ability, labour force and study participation, location in New Zealand, and living arrangements.

This report focuses on youth born overseas and provides separate data where available about migrant youth who had been in New Zealand for less than five years. The report also highlights areas where migrant youth differ from New Zealand-born youth and the total migrant population and identifies trends over the three censuses. The analysis is intended to inform future research and policy development.

Youth residence approval patterns 1998 to 2007

Department of Labour (the Department) immigration approval data showed that youth comprised 18 percent of residence approvals over the period 1998 to 2007, and an increasing proportion of all residence approvals over this period were youth. Half of youth approvals were through the Skilled/Business Stream, 38 percent through the Family Sponsored Stream, and 12 percent through the International/Humanitarian Stream.

The main approval regions were North Asia (21 percent) and the Pacific (20 percent). Youth residence approvals from China increased substantially over the period. The increase was particularly evident in the group aged 18 to 24 years with the proportion from China increasing from 7 percent in 1998 to a peak of 33 percent in 2006.

Skilled/Business Stream

Youth comprised 15 percent of the 246,702 Skilled/Business residence approvals from 1998 to 2007. The main regions of origin for youth were North Asia (27 percent); Europe (including Russia), South Africa, and North America (ESANA) (21 percent); and the United Kingdom (UK)/Ireland (18 percent).^[2] Eighteen- to 24-year-olds became an increasingly important source of approvals (from 3 percent of all Skilled/Business approvals in 1998 to 10 percent in 2007). Thirty-nine percent of 18- to 24-year-olds were from North Asia. In 2006 and 2007, the Skilled Migrant Category was the main approval category for 18- to 24-year-old principal applicants with 64 percent of these approvals from China.

Family Sponsored Stream

Youth made up 21 percent of the 137,844 approvals through the Family Sponsored Stream. The main approval regions were the Pacific (29 percent), North Asia (18 percent), and South and South-East Asia (14 percent each). The main approval category for 12- to 17-year-olds was the Dependent Child Category and for 18- to 24-year-olds the Partnership Category. A large proportion of youth Partnership approvals were female (73 percent of principal applicants).

International/Humanitarian Stream

Of the 37,613 approvals through the International/Humanitarian Stream from 1998 to 2007, 23 percent were youth. The largest approval region was the Pacific (47 percent), followed by South Asia (11 percent) and South-East Asia (7 percent). The main approval categories were the Refugee Quota (29 percent) and the Samoan Quota (24 percent). Successful refugee status claimants and the Pacific Access Category approvals each made up 13 percent of youth approvals. Youth from the Pacific were mainly approved through the Samoan Quota and Pacific Access Category, whereas youth from Asia tended to come to New Zealand as refugees.

Temporary student approvals

Three-quarters of the 599,798 student approvals from1998 to 2007 were aged 12 to 24 years. The largest category of student approvals was fee-paying students (82 percent), which was the main approval category for 18- to 24-year-olds. Fee-paying students was also the main approval category for 12- to 17-year-olds, some of whom were the dependent children of work permit holders. Three-quarters of fee-paying 12- to 24-year-old students were from North Asia. China was the main source country for these students, although the number of student approvals from China has declined steeply since 2003.

Temporary work approvals

A total of 674,321 work permits were approved from 1998 to 2007. Work permit approval numbers grew over the period and an increasing proportion were aged 15 to 24 years (around one-third in 2006 and 2007). Half of youth were approved through a Working Holiday Scheme, and 17 percent of youth had a labour market-tested work permit. Eleven percent of youth were approved for a Partnership work permit with 71 percent of these approvals female. The main work permit type for all migrants was a labour market-tested work permit. The three main regions of youth work permit approvals were ESANA, the UK/Ireland, and North Asia. The number of Chinese, German, and UK youth approved for work permits over the period increased substantially.

Migrant youth population in New Zealand - 1996 to 2006 censuses

The three censuses recorded an increasing proportion of youth born overseas (from 14 percent in 1996 to 22 percent in 2006). Much of the increase was in the group aged 18 to 24 years. Youth from North Asia and the Pacific made up a significant number of youth at each census, with a proportional increase in the first group (from 21 percent of youth in 1996 to 29 percent in 2006) and proportional decrease in the second group over the period. The proportion of youth from ESANA increased from 12 percent in 1996 to 15 percent in 2006 (the second largest group in this year). South Asia was a comparatively small source region, yet increased steadily over the three censuses. Thirty-nine percent of recent migrant youth (migrant youth in New Zealand for less than five years) in 2006 were from North Asia. At each census, the UK and Australia were among the main source countries of migrant youth. The proportion of migrant youth from China increased substantially from 2 percent in 1996 to 17 percent in 2006 (the largest group in this year).

The proportion of migrant youth identifying as European declined and the proportion identifying as Asian grew over the period. Asian was the largest ethnic group in 2001 and 2006 (46 percent and 50 percent respectively). Youth in New Zealand were more ethnically diverse than the rest of the population, with a larger proportion identifying with more than one ethnic group. New Zealand-born youth were more likely than overseas-born youth to identify with more than one ethnic group. The tendency for migrant youth to identify with multiple ethnic groups was higher for those who arrived at a younger age.

Over the three censuses, the proportion of very recent migrant youth from non-English-speaking regions who could speak English increased (from 75 percent in 1996 to 84 percent in 2006).^[3] As would be expected, English language ability improved with duration of residence with 97 percent of those in New Zealand for 10 to 14 years in 2006 able to speak English. A larger proportion of youth who came to New Zealand before the age of five years could speak English than those who arrived at an older age.

Labour force and study participation

Migrant youth had lower rates of labour force participation than New Zealand-born youth, reflecting migrants' higher rates of study participation. In 2006, 62 percent of 18- to 24-year-old migrants were either employed or unemployed and actively seeking work compared with 79 percent of New Zealand-born youth. The proportion of 18- to 24-year-old migrants employed part time increased from 14 percent in 1996 to 20 percent in 2006, with an increased tendency for study to be combined with part-time work. Eighty-five percent of overseas-born 15- to 17-year-olds and 52 percent of overseas-born 18- to 24-year-olds were studying full time in 2006, compared with 74 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds and 25 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds born in New Zealand.

Youth from Australia, the UK/Ireland, and ESANA had higher rates of labour force participation than other migrants. Of the 18- to 24-year-olds, those from Australia and the UK/Ireland had the highest labour force participation and full-time employment rates (Australian rates were similar to New Zealand-born rates). North Asian 18- to 24-year-olds had lower rates of labour force participation than others, but the proportion in part-time work increased substantially from 8 percent in 2001 to 21 percent in 2006. North Asian 18- to 24-year-olds had the highest rate of study participation (75 percent in 2006), and there was a notable increase in this group, as well as among other youth from Asia, combining study and part-time employment.

Labour force participation increased steadily with length of time in New Zealand. Part-time and full-time employment rates increased with more time in New Zealand, as did unemployment rates (although unemployment decreased slightly for 18- to 24-year-olds who had been in New Zealand for 15 years or more). This trend differs from that for all migrants, who had an unemployment rate that decreased with longer time in the country. The increase in youth unemployment is likely to reflect increased numbers moving into the labour force over time and taking longer to find work since they are probably less experienced than older migrants.

The most common occupational grouping for migrant youth, particularly 15- to 17-year-olds, was Service and Sales Workers. Other 15- to 17-year-olds worked as Clerks and Labourers and Related Service Workers, and 18- to 24-year-olds were often Clerks and Technicians and Associate Professionals. New Zealand-born youth were concentrated in similar occupations, although they were spread across more occupational groupings than overseas-born youth.

Migrant 18- to 24-year-olds tended to be more qualified than their New Zealand-born counterparts, with a smaller proportion with no qualifications and a larger proportion with university qualifications. Given that the Skilled/Business Stream is designed to attract skilled and qualified migrants and that many young migrants come to New Zealand to study, the finding that overseas-born youth are more qualified is unsurprising. Migrant youth were also more qualified than migrants overall with 93 percent of youth and 84 percent of all migrants in 2006 having a school qualification or higher.

Location and living arrangements in New Zealand

More than half of migrant youth lived in the Auckland region, and the proportion of 18- to 24-year-olds living in this region increased from 1996 to 2006 (up to 58 percent in 2006). From 2001 to 2006 the number of recent migrant youth (youth in New Zealand for less than five years) living in Auckland decreased. A large proportion of youth from the Pacific and Asia lived in the Auckland region. Migrant youth were also concentrated in Wellington, Canterbury, and the Waikato, although the proportion in Wellington decreased over the period.

Most 12- to 17-year-old migrants were living with their family. Just over one-third of 18- to 24-year-olds were living as a child with their family and a similar proportion were living outside their family. North Asian migrant youth were the most likely to be living outside their family (that is, living alone or flatting). Migrant 18- to 24-year-olds were more likely than New Zealand-born youth to be married. Youth from South Asia and the Pacific had the largest proportions that were married (22 percent and 19 percent respectively in 2006).

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