Source: New Zealand Government
The Government’s continuing to strengthen and build trust in New Zealand’s immigration system with the Immigration (Fiscal Sustainability and System Integrity) Amendment Bill passing its third reading in Parliament.
“New Zealanders deserve an immigration system that is fit for purpose and responsive to risk. This Bill delivers that by strengthening the integrity and flexibility of our settings and puts independent review recommendations into action like introducing safeguards for vulnerable people. It also improves risk and protection settings, and enables costs to be shared more equitably across the system,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says.
The Bill deters exploitation by creating a new offence for knowingly seeking or receiving premiums for employment, whether in New Zealand or offshore, with penalties of up to seven years’ imprisonment or a $100,000 fine. It creates a higher bar for the detention of asylum seekers and establishes a new framework for electronic monitoring as a less restrictive option to detention
“The Bill also makes it clear a discharge without conviction will no longer allow residence class visa holders who commit crimes to avoid consideration for deportation. It will mean that residents are on the same footing as New Zealand citizens and can no longer make arguments that potential immigration outcomes mean they should avoid conviction and sentence.”
Other changes include:
- Improving fiscal sustainability by enabling a broader levy base so costs are shared more fairly across users of the immigration system.
- Requiring judicial warrants for out-of-hours compliance visits.
- Introducing additional safeguards for asylum seekers subject to warrants of commitment.
- Clarifying deportation liability for residence class visa holders who plead guilty or are found guilty of an offence.
- Introducing a power to cancel residence class visas of individuals who pose a threat or risk to security but cannot currently be deported because of a credible chance they would be tortured.
- Enhancing responsiveness by enabling flexible powers to respond to unusual events, like natural disasters.
“These changes better balance the integrity of our system with the rights of individuals. This Government is focused on delivering smart and responsive solutions, so we have an immigration system that delivers certainty and stability for New Zealanders and those who wish to come here,” Ms Stanford says
