Migration Trends & Outlook 2008/09
5 PERMANENT RESIDENCE APPROVALS
Highlights
- In 2008/09, 46,097 people were granted permanent residence in New Zealand: 62 percent through the Skilled/Business Stream; 30 percent through the family-sponsored streams; and 8 percent through the International/Humanitarian Stream.
- Large proportions of people live and work in New Zealand before applying for residence. In 2008/09, 81 percent of approved applications were made from within New Zealand.
- The largest source countries for permanent residence approvals in 2008/09 were the United Kingdom (19 percent), China (15 percent), and South Africa (12 percent). The Philippines is growing in significance, increasing from 2 percent of residence approvals in 2005/06 to 8 percent in both 2007/08 and 2008/09.
- The average age of people approved for residence was 29 years. For principal applicants, the average age was 35 years, whereas for secondary applicants it was 23 years.
5.1 Introduction
This section describes the characteristics of people approved for residence in 2008/09 and immigration trends since 1999/2000. Further information about the characteristics of approvals in each residence stream is given in Chapters 6-8.
5.2 Residence approvals by New Zealand Residence Programme (NZRP) stream
In 2008/09, 46,097 people were approved for residence in 24,572 applications. Table 5.1 shows residence approval numbers by stream.[76]
| New Zealand Residence Programme stream | Approvals | Percentage of total (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 46,097 | 100 |
| Skilled/Business | 28,547 | 62 |
| Uncapped Family Sponsored | 8,946 | 19 |
| Parent Sibling Adult Child | 5,100 | 11 |
| International/Humanitarian | 3,504 | 8 |
Source: Department of Labour
Figure 5.1 shows the number of people approved for residence through the streams, compared with planned levels under the NZRP from 2002/03 to 2008/09.
Figure 5. 1 Number of people approved for residence compared with the New Zealand Residence Programme planning level, 2002/03–2008/09
Note: Policies before 2007/08 have been grouped to match the streamed approach to the NZRP in subsequent years. Because the programme's planning level is a range, its minimum and maximum are shown.
Source: Department of Labour
5.3 Location of residence approvals
In 2008/09, 81 percent of residence applications were approved in New Zealand (onshore). This was the same as in the previous year, but the proportion of onshore applications has increased significantly over the past 6 years to 2008/09. This increase reflects the growing proportion of people living and working in New Zealand before applying for residence, and the immigration policies that support this transition.[77]
The proportion of applications approved onshore has increased for each of the residence streams. Onshore application approvals for the Skilled/Business Stream have gone up by 232 percent since 1999/2000.
Figure 5.2 shows the proportion of approved residence applications that were made onshore under the NZRP in the decade to 2008/09.
Figure 5. 2 Proportion of applications approved onshore under the New Zealand Residence Programme, 1999/2000–2007/08
Source: Department of Labour
5.4 Number of people per approved application
The average number of people per approved application is an indication of family size.
An average 1.9 people were approved per residence application in 2008/09. This average has changed very little since 1999/2000, but varies across the residence streams.
From 1999/2000 to 2008/09, the average family size in the:
- Skilled/Business Stream decreased from 2.6 to 2.3 people per application
- International/Humanitarian Stream fluctuated from 1.8 to 2.7 people per application-although it has stayed at 2.7 since 2006/07.
Table 5.2 shows the average number of people per approved residence application by stream and location of approval for 2008/09.
| Year | New Zealand Residence Programme stream | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled/Business | Parent Sibling Adult Child | Uncapped Family Sponsored | International/ Humanitarian | ||
| Onshore | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 1.8 |
| Offshore | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
Source: Department of Labour
The average family size is larger for approved offshore applications than for approved onshore applications. This may be because more people applying for residence onshore (that is, those already studying in, working in, or visiting New Zealand) are younger and do not have families.
In 2008/09, the average family size for approved onshore applications was 1.8 people per application, compared with 2.2 people for offshore applications. These numbers have remained the same as in the previous year.
The average family size has implications for the NZRP because it affects the number of applications needed to meet the required number of approvals.
5.5 Nationality of residence approvals
Figure 5.3 compares the nationalities of people approved for residence in 2006/07-2008/09. The United Kingdom remains the largest source country of residence approvals (19 percent). The proportion from the United Kingdom increased significantly in the first half of the decade (from 14 percent in 2002/03 to 29 percent in 2005/06), but has decreased since then. China is the second-largest source country (15 percent), followed by South Africa (12 percent), and the Philippines (8 percent).
Figure 5. 3 Comparison of residence approvals by largest source countries, 2006/07–2008/09
Note: The percentages show the proportion of all approvals for each source country in the financial year.
Source: Department of Labour
5.5.1 Nationality by residence stream
The proportion of migrants of each nationality in the Skilled/Business Stream is similar to the proportion of migrants of each nationality overall coming to New Zealand under the NZRP. This is because the Skilled/Business Stream is the largest source of migrants to New Zealand.
The United Kingdom is the largest source country of Skilled/Business Stream migrants (24 percent), followed by South Africa (17 percent), China (13 percent), and the Philippines (10 percent).
China (16 percent) and the United Kingdom (15 percent) were the largest source countries of migrants in the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream. China (28 percent) and India (17 percent) were the largest source countries of migrants in the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream.
The three largest source countries of migrants in the International/Humanitarian Stream were Pacific nations, reflecting the high proportion of approvals in this stream through the Samoan Quota and the Pacific Access Category (PAC). Samoa was the largest source country in this stream (34 percent), followed by Tonga (8 percent), then Fiji (6 percent).
Appendix K shows residence approvals in 2008/09 by nationality and NZRP stream.
5.6 Gender and age of residence approvals
5.6.1 Gender by stream
Five percent more females than males were approved for residence in 2008/09.
The Skilled/Business Stream had smaller proportions of females than males (48 percent female in each group).
The Uncapped Family Sponsored Child and Parent Sibling Adult Child streams had larger proportions of females than males (54 percent and 60 percent, respectively).
The International/Humanitarian Stream had an equal proportion of females and males.
5.6.2 Age by applicant type
The average age of people approved for residence in 2008/09 was 29 years. The average age of principal applicants was 35 years, with 67 percent aged 20-39 years. The average age of secondary applicants was 23 years, with 51 percent younger than 20 years.
Figure 5.4 shows the number and proportion of principal and secondary applicants by age group for all people approved for residence in 2008/09.
Figure 5. 4 Age of people approved for residence by applicant type, 2008/09
Note: The percentages show the proportion of each applicant type by age group.
Source: Department of Labour
Appendix L shows the percentage of females granted residence by age and source country in 2008/09.
5.6.3 Age by New Zealand Residence Programme stream
Information on average age gives an indication of the composition of migrants under the respective residence streams.
Table 5.3 indicates that, in 2008/09, the average age of Skilled/Business Stream migrants was 27 years, with 81 percent younger than 40 years. This is because the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), which accounts for most people in the Skilled/Business Stream, has an age limit of 55 years. The average age for Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream migrants was 28 years, with 86 percent younger than 40 years.
For Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream migrants, the average age was 50 years. Sixty-four percent of migrants in this stream were aged 50 years and over, indicating the large proportion of parents coming in under this stream. The average age of migrants under the International/Humanitarian Stream was 25 years. This shows that a large proportion of migrants under the International/Humanitarian Stream were young people, with 61 percent younger than 30.
| Residence stream | Average age (years) |
|---|---|
| Skilled/Business | 27 |
| Uncapped Family Sponsored | 28 |
| Parent Sibling Adult Child | 50 |
| International/Humanitarian | 25 |
Source: Department of Labour
Figure 5.5 shows the proportion of all people approved for residence by age group and NZRP stream in 2008/09.
Figure 5. 5 Age of people approved for residence by New Zealand Residence Programme stream, 2008/09
Source: Department of Labour
[76] The New Zealand Residence Programme was formerly known as the New Zealand Immigration Programme.
[77] These policies include the Long Term Business Visa, Work to Residence, and Study to Work policies for foreign graduates.