Migration Trends 2006/07
Family Sponsored Stream
Introduction
The Family Sponsored Stream enables New Zealand residents and citizens to sponsor close family members for permanent residence. This section describes the characteristics of migrants approved through the Family Sponsored Stream and its various categories. Demand for places in this stream remains high, particularly through the Partnership and Parent categories, and a number of initiatives have been developed to manage demand.
Applications from partners and dependent children continue to be prioritised over other applications in this stream. [1] Family Sponsored Stream applicants have also been encouraged to submit an expression of interest for the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) where an applicant appears to meet SMC policy.
Since July 2007, partners and dependent children have been approved through a separate stream, with no cap on the number of applications that can be approved. Separate limits are now in place for the remaining categories (parents, siblings and adult children of New Zealand sponsors).
In November 2007, a number of new provisions came into effect for family sponsored migrants. These changes included:
a new visitor’s visa for parents and grandparents visiting family in New Zealand, which allows the holder to make multiple visits over a three-year period
strengthened character requirements for sponsoring a partner
a minimum income requirement for those sponsoring parents.
Family sponsored application inflows
Figure 6.1 shows the number of people applying for residence through the Family Sponsored Stream since 2000/01. Following a large spike in applications in 2001/02, demand for places in this stream has remained relatively steady in recent years. The increased flows in the second half of 2006/07 meant that the total number of applications received in 2006/07 was higher than the average over the last five financial years.
Figure 6.1 Number of people applying for residence through the Family Sponsored Stream since 2000/01
Figure 6.2 shows the inflows through the various Family categories over the last three financial years. The demand for residence from parents has grown steadily in recent years, but most of the increase in 2006/07 was caused by an increase in applications through the Partnership policy. Demand through the other categories has remained relatively steady. The introduction of an age limit of 55 years for principal applicants through the Sibling and Adult Child policies from August 2006 had an impact on the Sibling Category in particular, with fewer people applying for residence through this category in 2006/07 than in each of the previous two years.
Figure 6.2 Number of people applying for residence through the Family categories: 2004/05–2006/07
Figure 6.3 shows that the number of people on hand in the Family Sponsored Stream has declined steadily over the last 12 months, although the backlog of applications remains high. [2] At the end of June 2007, there were 13,222 people on hand (8,434 applications) waiting to have their applications processed, up from 12,136 people (7,753 applications) at the end of June 2006.
With the prioritisation of Partnership and Dependent Child applicants since September 2004, the number of people on hand in both of these categories has generally decreased. However, increasing inflows in the last quarter of 2006/07 saw a slight increase in numbers on hand in both of these categories. The number of people on hand in the Parent Category has increased in recent years as the number of applications through this category has grown.
Figure 6.3 Number of people on hand in the Family Sponsored Stream: 2004/05–2006/07
Approvals through the Family Sponsored Stream
In 2006/07, 14,705 people (31 percent of all residence approvals) were approved for residence through the Family Sponsored Stream, down slightly from 14,967 in 2005/06. Over half of all approvals through the Family Sponsored Stream were through the Partnership policy.
Since September 2003, Partnership policy has ensured that married and de facto couples (including same sex partners) of New Zealand residents and citizens have been treated equally when applying for residence through the Family Category. Under Partnership policy, a couple must provide evidence that their relationship is genuine and stable whether they are married or de facto. Applicants must have been living in a genuine and stable partnership for 12 months or more at the time they lodge their application. [3]
Figure 6.4 compares the categories in the Family Sponsored Stream through which people were approved in the last three financial years. Partnership policy accounted for around 55–59 percent of approvals over the last three years. The number of people approved through the Parent Category increased substantially in 2005/06 and remained high in 2006/07. Sibling approvals were the third largest category in 2006/07 (7 percent), followed by dependent children (6 percent)
Figure 6.4 Family Sponsored Stream categories: 2004/05–2006/07
*Other categories include the October 2000 Transitional policy, the Humanitarian Category and the Family Quota, all of which are now closed.
Nationality of Family Sponsored Stream approvals
The UK, China, India, Fiji and Samoa have been the largest source countries of approvals through the Family Sponsored Stream in recent years. The UK and China combined accounted for over one-third of approvals in this stream (17 percent each) in 2006/07.
The number of approvals from China and India has increased over the last four years. The proportion of Chinese approvals increased from 12 percent in 2003/04 to 17 percent in 2006/07. For India, approval numbers doubled over the same period, and the proportion increased from 9 percent in 2003/04 to 16 percent in 2006/07. For both countries, the greatest increase has been in the number of Parent Category approvals. Figure 6.5 compares the number of Family Sponsored Stream approvals by nationality over the last two financial years.
Figure 6.5 Family Sponsored Stream nationalities
Partnership
Partnership approvals made up 57 percent of the Family Sponsored Stream in 2006/07 (8,400 people). The three largest source countries have remained consistent since 2000/01. Those three source countries (the UK, China and India) accounted for 41 percent of Partnership approvals in 2006/07. Figure 6.6 compares the nationalities of people approved through Partnership policy in the last two financial years.
Figure 6.6 Nationality of Partnership approvals: 2005/06–2006/07*
* This chart combines Partnership, Marriage and Family De facto approvals.
Family Parent
There were 4,188 people approved through the Family Parent Category in 2006/07 (28 percent of the Family Sponsored Stream), down slightly from 4,400 approvals in 2005/06. In 2006/07, the main source countries of approvals were India (30 percent), China (28 percent) and the UK (14 percent). These top five source countries have remained the same in recent years, although there have been changes in the proportion of approvals from each. The proportion from India has increased substantially, from 16 percent in 2005/06 to 30 percent in 2006/07. The proportion from China has increased from 21 percent in 2004/05 to 28 percent in 2006/07. Figure 6.7 shows the top source countries of approvals through the Family Parent Category over the last three financial years.
Figure 6.7 Nationality of Parent approvals: 2004/05–2006/07
The number of people applying for residence through the Family Parent Category has generally increased over the last five years, although total flows in 2006/07 (3,108 applications) were down slightly from 2005/06 (3,136 applications). Demand for places in the Parent Category has increased for China and India, which are now the largest source countries of approvals in this category, but has remained relatively steady for the other main source countries (the UK, Fiji, South Africa, Tonga and Samoa). Figure 6.8 shows the gradual increase in application inflows following the changes to this policy’s sponsorship requirements in 2001/02.
Figure 6.8 Parent Category inflows: 2000/01–2006/07
Family Sibling
Family Sibling approvals accounted for 7 percent of people approved through the Family Sponsored Stream in 2006/07 (996 people). The top five source countries have remained the same in recent years, with the highest proportion coming from India, China and Fiji. There was a large increase in approvals from India in 2006/07 – from 102 approvals in 2005/06 (9 percent) to 275 approvals in 2006/07 (28 percent) – making it the largest source country at present. Figure 6.9 compares the nationalities of approvals in the last three financial years.
Figure 6.9 Nationality of Sibling approvals: 2004/05–2006/07
After October 2001, there was a large spike in application inflows through the Sibling Category. The policy changes introduced new provisions for adult siblings and adult children, allowing them to bring their families, whereas previously they needed to be single. From August 2006, principal applicants through the Sibling Category have been subject to an age limit of 55. [4] Figure 6.10 shows the number of applications for residence through this category since 2000/01. Application inflows have fluctuated since 2000/01, but are beginning to show a downward trend, with decreasing application numbers in each of the last two financial years.
Figure 6.10 Sibling Category inflows: 2000/01–2006/07
Dependent and Adult Child
There were 891 people approved through the Dependent Child Category in 2006/07, compared to 869 in 2005/06 and 1,114 in 2004/05. Applications through this category were given priority in 2006/07 where the child’s sponsor was a New Zealand citizen or the holder of an Indefinite Returning Residence Visa and had been absent from New Zealand for at least two years prior to the date of the application being made. Samoa is the largest source country of approvals in this category (31 percent), followed by China (10 percent) and Tonga (9 percent). Figure 6.11 compares the nationalities of approvals in the last three financial years.
Figure 6.11 Nationality of Dependent Child approvals: 2004/05–2006/07
To qualify for residence through the Adult Child Category, principal applicants must be aged 55 or younger, have an offer of employment, and meet specific family and sponsorship requirements. Principal applicants with dependents must also be able to meet a minimum income threshold. In 2006/07, 206 people were approved through the Adult Child Category. The largest source countries were China (17 percent), the UK (14 percent), and Fiji (13 percent). Figure 6.12 compares the nationalities of approvals in the last three financial years.
Figure 6.12 Nationality of Adult Child approvals: 2004/05–2006/07
Family Quota
The Family Quota enabled New Zealand residents and citizens to sponsor parents, siblings, adult children and grandparents, when those family members did not qualify for residence under any other residence policies. The Family Quota operated only when there were sufficient places available in this stream. There have been no places available in the Family Quota since 2003, and in July 2007, the Family Quota was closed. Only one person was approved through the Family Quota in 2006/07 – that person was accepted in a ballot held prior to 2004.
Humanitarian Category
The Humanitarian Category enabled family members of New Zealanders to be granted residence where serious humanitarian circumstances existed and New Zealand residence was the only option to resolve those circumstances. Migrants through this category had to be sponsored by a family member who was a resident or citizen of New Zealand. This category was closed from October 2001, but a large number of applications were lodged before the policy closed, creating a considerable backlog of applications. Humanitarian Category applications were given priority over other categories in the Family Sponsored Stream (except Parent and Dependent Child applications) in 2006/07, and almost all remaining cases have now been decided. Twelve people were approved through the Humanitarian Category in 2006/07.
Transitional policy
The October 2000 Transitional policy offered well settled overstayers the opportunity to apply for a two-year work permit and then to transition to residence. To qualify under this policy, applicants needed to have been resident in New Zealand for five years or more and to have no convictions. People lawfully in New Zealand who otherwise met these conditions could also apply for a work permit, and then qualify for residence under this policy.
Applicants with a New Zealand citizen or resident partner or a New Zealand-born child were counted through the Family Sponsored Stream, while others were counted through the International/Humanitarian Stream. Overall, 20 people were approved for residence through the Transitional policy in 2006/07. Most of the people granted a work permit under this policy have now had their residence applications decided.
Summary
- Demand for places in the Family Sponsored Stream remains high, and a number of initiatives have been developed to manage demand. Applications from partners and dependent children continue to receive priority processing and, since July 2007, have been approved through a separate stream, with no cap on the number of applications that can be approved.
- The total number of applications received in 2006/07 was higher than the average over the last five financial years, largely due to an increase in applications through Partnership policy. Demand for residence from parents has grown steadily in recent years, but has remained relatively steady for the other categories in this stream.
- There were 14,705 people approved through the Family Sponsored Stream in 2006/07, down slightly from 14,967 in 2005/06. In 2006/07, Partnership approvals were the largest category in this stream (8,400 people, 57 percent), followed by the Parent Category (4,188 people, 28 percent) and the Sibling Category (996 people, 7 percent).
- The UK and China were the largest source countries of family sponsored approvals (17 percent each), followed by India (16 percent). The number of approvals from India and China has increased in recent years as the number of Parent Category approvals from these source countries has grown.
- The UK was the largest source country of Partnership approvals (20 percent), followed by China (11 percent) and India (10 percent).
- India was the largest source country of Parent approvals (30 percent, up from 16 percent in 2005/06), followed by China (28 percent) and the UK (14 percent).
- The number of approvals through the Sibling Category decreased from 1,158 in 2005/06 to 996 in 2006/07. India was the largest source country (28 percent, up from 9 percent in 2005/06). Twenty-two percent were Chinese, down from 30 percent in 2005/06. Fiji was the third largest source country (13 percent, down from 18 percent in 2005/06).
- Approvals through the Dependent Child Category made up 6 percent of the Family Sponsored Stream (891 people). Samoa was the largest source country (31 percent), followed by China (10 percent) and Tonga (9 percent).
[1] Priority was given to partners and dependent children where the sponsor was a New Zealand citizen or the holder of an Indefinite Returning Residence Visa, and had been absent from New Zealand for at least two years prior to the date of the application being accepted for consideration.
[2] An application is on hand if it has been accepted for processing but is not yet decided.
[3] For the purpose of this analysis, any approvals through the former Marriage and De facto categories have been combined into the Partnership Category.
This age limit of 55 also applies to principal applicants through the Adult Child category from August 2006.
