Working on an amnesty scheme for overstayers would be a “considerable undertaking” for the government, Immigration Minister Michael Wood has said.
Immigration officials estimate about 14,000 people across New Zealand are currently overstaying in the country beyond their visa terms. Activists have called for an amnesty for these defaulters, often pointing to the acute labour shortage the country is grappling with.
The demand was buoyed in August 2021 when the government officially apologised for the 1970s dawn raids, when homes of people alleged to be illegally overstaying were forcibly entered by police in the early hours of the morning. People were stopped on the streets and asked to produce permits, visas and passports to prove their right to be in New Zealand.
Talking to The Indian Weekender, Michael Wood stressed progressing an amnesty for overstayers would be a considerable undertaking. “Our government is committed to upholding a fair rules-based immigration system and delivering on the goals of the immigration rebalance. Progressing an amnesty for overstayers would be a considerable undertaking, and regardless of which group of people it may be extended to, it would take time to progress and would require legislative change,” he said.
When asked about the government’s key immigration priorities, Wood said, “My biggest priority for 2023 is allowing the settings under immigration rebalance to further 'bed in', focusing on streamlining processing and improving people's experience with our immigration system. Our government’s immigration rebalance was designed specifically to address the immediate skill shortages in New Zealand, simplifying the settings and streamlining application processes for businesses while ensuring wages and working conditions are improved for everyone. As we head into the fourth quarter since our borders reopened, we're seeing positive signs that our policies are having a meaningful impact on how people use the immigration system, upskilling New Zealanders and ensuring that migrants are treated fairly.”
Immigration New Zealand also launched the new streamlined Accredited Employer Work Visa in July 2022 to make it easier for employers to hire and attract migrants for specified high-skilled, hard-to-fill occupations, offering eligible workers a guaranteed faster and simplified pathway to residency.
Talking about that policy, Wood said, “A key feature of the rebalance is a focus on building the skills that New Zealand needs, as opposed to the old system, which had a focus on large volumes of low-wage labour in some sectors. This is a shift, but it will be better for the New Zealand economy and reduce the unacceptable levels of migrant exploitation that the old settings facilitated. In developing these policies, we have worked with a range of stakeholders to find a workable solution that meets the government's intent.”
As the world recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, labour shortages continue to nag economies. Wood said people-to-people movement globally remains slow compared, and this is particularly felt by the hospitality and tourism sectors that traditionally rely on international workers.
He said, “We are listening to the concerns of these sectors and working with them to take practicable steps to unlock additional labour as businesses work towards more productive and resilient ways of operating, including increasing the availability of working holiday makers. We have also provided 12-month open work rights to people who held a Post Study Work Visa but could not use it due to the border closing in March 2020, if they're not already in New Zealand on another visa.”
On being asked about his plans to make New Zealand a globally sought-after destination for migrants, Wood, who is also the Minister for Transport, Workplace Relations & Safety and Auckland, said, “We have a competitive offering to international migrants. New Zealand is currently the most desirable destination for highly educated migrant workers, according to the OECD's Indicators of Talent Attractiveness index. This means we're in a strong position to attract different types of talented workers to New Zealand to help fill the global skills shortage post-Covid. We're also supporting more Kiwis to learn and upskill to ensure we have the workforce we need for the future."
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