Migration Trends and Outlook 2007/08
Uncapped family sponsored and parent sibling adult child streams (FAMILY-SPONSORED MIGRANTS)
Highlights
- The Uncapped Family Sponsored and Parent Sibling Adult Child Streams allow New Zealand citizens and residents to sponsor family members to live in New Zealand under some circumstances.
- Across both streams, 17,903 applications were accepted in 2007/08, an increase from 16,410 in 2006/07. Most of the increase was the result of increased applications through the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream.
- China, the United Kingdom, India, Fiji, and Samoa have been the largest source countries of family-sponsored migrants in recent years. China and the United Kingdom accounted for more than one-third of approvals in 2007/08.
Introduction
This chapter describes the characteristics of migrants approved through the Uncapped Family Sponsored and Parent Sibling Adult Child Streams.[68] These streams allow New Zealand citizens and residents to sponsor family members to live in New Zealand under some circumstances.
Demand for places in these streams remains high. Applicants under these streams are also encouraged to submit an expression of interest for the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) where an applicant appears to meet SMC criteria.
Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream approvals
Demand for places in the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream has trended slightly upward in recent years: 10,117 applications were accepted for processing under this stream in 2007/08 compared with 9,845 in 2006/07.
In 2007/08, 9,460 people (65percent of residence approvals in the two streams) were approved for residence through the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream, an increase from 9,296 in 2006/07.
Nationality of Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream approvals
The United Kingdom, China, Samoa, India, and Fiji have been the largest source countries of approvals through the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream since 2005/06. The United Kingdom and China combined accounted for around 30percent of approvals in this stream in 2007/08.
The numbers of approvals from China and Samoa have increased since 2005/06. The proportion of Chinese approvals increased from 11percent in 2005/06 to 14percent in 2007/08, while Samoan approvals increased from 7percent to 9percent over the same period.
Figure 8.1 compares the number of Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream approvals by nationality since 2005/06.
Figure 8.1 Source country of family-sponsored approvals, 2005/06-2007/08
Partnership approvals
Partnership approvals made up 88percent of the Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream in 2007/08 (8,300 people) and have remained at this level since 2005/06. The three largest source countries (the United Kingdom, China, and India) have remained constant since 2000/01. Those three source countries accounted for 40percent of partnership approvals in 2007/08. The proportion of approvals from China increased from 11percent to 14percent from 2006/07 to 2007/08.
Figure 8.2 compares the nationalities of people approved through partnership policies from 2005/06 to 2007/08.
Figure 8.2 Nationality of Partnership Policy approvals, 2005/06-2007/08
Note: This chart combines partnership, marriage, and family de facto approvals.
Dependent Child approvals
Approved through the Dependent Child Policy in 2007/08 were 1,164 people compared with 891 in 2006/07. This category accounts for 12percent of Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream approvals in 2007/08.
Since 2006/07 applications through this category have been prioritised where the child's sponsor is a New Zealand citizen or the holder of an indefinite returning residence visa and has been absent from New Zealand for at least two years before the date of the application being made.
Since 2005/06, Samoa has been the largest source country of approvals in this category (34percent), followed by the United Kingdom and China (7percent each). Figure 8.3 compares the nationalities of Dependent Child Category approvals from 2005/06 to 2007/08.
Figure 8.3 Nationality of Dependent Child approvals, 2005/06-2007/08
Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream approvals
Following a large spike in applications through the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream in 2001/02, demand for places in this stream has remained relatively steady. In 2007/08, 7,786 applications were accepted for processing under this stream compared with 7,565 in 2006/07.
In 2007/08, 5,177 people (35percent of residence approvals from the two family-sponsored streams) were approved for residence through the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream, down slightly from 5,409 in 2006/07 and 5,876 in 2005/06. More than 70percent of all approvals in 2007/08 through the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream were through the Parent Category.
Figure 8.4 compares the categories in the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream through which people were approved from 2005/06 to 2007/08. Parent Category approvals accounted for around 75percent of approvals over that period. The number of people approved through the Parent Category remained high in 2007/08, but has trended slightly downward since 2005/06. Sibling approvals accounted for more than 20percent of approvals, and Adult Child approvals accounted for at least 4percent of approvals in 2005/06 to 2007/08.
Figure 8.4 Applicants in family-sponsored stream categories, 2005/06-2007/08
Nationality of Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream approvals
China, India, the United Kingdom, Fiji, and South Africa have been the largest source countries of approvals through the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream in recent years. China and India accounted for about 43percent of approvals in this stream (23percent and 20percent respectively) in 2007/08.
The proportion of Chinese approvals decreased slightly from 28percent in 2005/06 to 23percent in 2007/08. Although Indian approvals increased from 14percent in 2005/06 to 29percent in 2006/07, they fell to around 20percent in 2007/08. Approvals from the United Kingdom remained at about 13percent in 2006/07 and 2007/08, whereas approvals from Fiji increased from 6percent to 10percent over the same period.
Figure 8.5 compares the number of Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream approvals by nationality from 2005/06 to 2007/08.
Figure 8.5 Number of Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream approvals by source country, 2005/06-2007/08
Parent Category approvals
Approved through the Parent Category in 2007/08 were 3,723 people (72percent of the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream), a slight decrease from 4,194 approvals in 2006/07.
In 2007/08, the main source countries of Parent Category approvals were China (25percent), India (19percent), and the United Kingdom (16percent). The top five source countries have remained the same in recent years, although the proportions of approvals from each have changed.
The proportion of Parent Category approvals from China decreased from 28percent in 2005/06 to 25percent in 2007/08. The proportion of such approvals from India was largest in 2006/07. Approvals from Fiji increased from 4percent in 2006/07 to 10percent 2007/08.
Figure 8.6 shows the top source countries of approvals through the Parent Category from 2005/06 to 2007/08.
Figure 8.6 Nationality of Parent Category approvals, 2005/06-2007/08
Demand for places in the Parent Category has been high over the past few years. The total flow in 2007/08 (3,124 applications) was up slightly from 2006/07 (3,111 applications).
Family Sibling Category approvals
Family Sibling Category approvals accounted for 23percent of people approved through the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream in 2007/08 (1,166 people). The top three source countries have remained the same in recent years, although their shares have varied. The largest proportions of approvals in this category in 2007/08 came from India and China. Approvals from India increased from 102 approvals in 2005/06 to 305 approvals in 2007/08. Since August 2006, principal applicants through the Family Sibling Category have been subject to an age limit of 55 years.[69]
Figure 8.7 compares the nationalities of approvals through the Family Sibling Category from 2005/06 to 2007/08.
Figure 8.7 Nationality of Family Sibling Category approvals, 2005/06-2007/08
Adult Child Category approvals
Approved through the Adult Child Category in 2007/08 were 262 people compared with 206 in 2006/07. The Adult Child Category accounts for 5percent of the Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream. Fiji is the largest source country of approvals in this category (14percent), followed by the United Kingdom (11percent), then India (10percent). Figure 8.8 compares the nationalities of approvals in the three financial years to 2007/08.
Figure 8.8 Nationality of Adult Child Category approvals, 2005/06-2007/08
