Minister confirms one immigration appeals body

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Tuesday December 5, 2006 

The Government has confirmed it will replace the four existing appeal bodies with a single tribunal under changes to immigration law.
 
Immigration Minister David Cunliffe has announced a package of proposals for a new Immigration Act, following a review document that went out for public consultation.
 
Mr Cunliffe said some proposals had been modified to address submitters' concerns over privacy and human rights issues.
 
He said new legislation would be introduced in April 2007.
 
Among the changes were for a single independent appeals tribunal - replacing the existing four appeals bodies - and a single right of appeal to that tribunal.
 
Other Cabinet decisions were around deportation, a simplified visa system and giving the minister the ability to designate to officials decisions on residence approvals.

NZ asylum seekers in jails as well as refugee centre

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Monday December 4, 2006

Refugee claimants seeking asylum in New Zealand are now just as likely to be held in jail as in the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre. The Labour Department confirms that 23 people claiming refugee status were being held in jail on October 17, compared with 22 at the low-security Mangere centre. 

The Labour Department data shows that on October 17: 

* 45 people who had claimed refugee status were being held in custody - 23 in jail and 22 at Mangere. 

* 18 of the 45 were waiting for initial decisions from the department. 

* 11 had been rejected by the department and were waiting for decisions from the Refugee Status Appeals Authority. 

* 13 had lodged at least one appeal to the Associate Immigration Minister, currently Clayton Cosgrove. 

* Five of those held in jail lodged refugee claims only after being served with a removal order, and were detained pending a decision on their claim. 

* Seven had been through all appeals up to the associate minister and had been rejected every time, but required travel documents to leave the country. Five of these were "refusing to co-operate with Department of Labour staff in obtaining a travel document".

(Source: NZ Newspapers) 

Kayaker asked to bring passport

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01 December 2006

A man kayaking from Australia to New Zealand will need his passport handy when he arrives at Milford Sound because immigration authorities will be there to greet him.

Australian kayaker Andrew McAuley, who this weekend will begin his attempt at the first solo kayak crossing of the Tasman Sea, has been approached by New Zealand Customs after he failed to contact the department about his travel plans.

"You know it's a long kayak trip when you need your passport," McAuley said.

McAuley, 39, who plans to end his 1600km trip at Milford Sound, will be met by a Customs officer and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) staff.

Customs southern chief officer Neville Brown said the department had contacted McAuley after learning of his plans.

Brown said people planning to enter New Zealand without going through an official Customs port were required to let Customs know of their arrival. "Because he's coming into Milford, Milford's not a Customs port, so he needs to get permission from us to actually do that," Brown said.

After being contacted by Customs, McAuley had made a request for entry, and Brown said the department would send someone from Invercargill to meet him at Milford. McAuley would need to present his passport.

MAF South Island manager Kevin Kennett said ministry staff would also meet McAuley to check for food and inspect the boat for anything that had become attached to it during the trip.

McAuley said he had planned to get in touch with Customs officials but they had contacted him first and given him approval for the trip.

"They're actually really helpful; really positive about the trip."

The food he was carrying would be freeze-dried and did not pose any risks, he said.

Weather permitting, McAuley will set off from Port Arthur, Tasmania, this weekend.

(Source: NZ Newspapers) 

Situation in Suva

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Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Immigration New Zealand's Suva Branch is currently closed and it is not known when normal services will resume. Only dire emergencies can be catered for at present.

The radio station Legend FM in Fiji will be used to notify the Fiji public when the Suva Branch will re-open.

In the meantime, Immigration New Zealand will endeavour to return passports to applicants in Fiji. People should wait to be contacted by phone on how they can collect their passports.

When you require any assistance, please  contact TNC 

Greek passports

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Friday, November 24, 2006

The Greek authorities have advised that from 1 January 2007, Greek passports issued prior to 1 January 2006 will no longer be considered valid for travel. Greek nationals travelling on these passports may not receive entry to New Zealand and may have difficulties travelling to other countries.

Amendments to the Long Term Skills Shortage List

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Friday, November 24, 2006

Changes to the Long Term Skills Shortage List will come into effect on 4 December 2006.

For further and more detailed information please  contact TNC 

Entry to NZ may be in jeopardy (Tongans)

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Tuesday November 21, 2006
 
Tongan nationals who are convicted because of their involvement in the riots could be jeopardising their entitlement to a New Zealand visa, says the Minister of Immigration.
 
The Tongan Advisory Council this week called for the Government to blacklist those involved in the riots from entering New Zealand.
 
A council spokesman said all those involved in perpetrating, planning or inciting the events should be blacklisted.
 
The burden on New Zealand Tongan families would be increased because of the trouble, he said.
 
A spokesman for David Cunliffe's office said the conviction of Tongan nationals involved in the riots could affect their entitlement to a visa to enter New Zealand.
 
(Source: NZPA)

Investigation launched into business-visa applications

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Friday November 10, 2006 

The Department of Labour is investigating the Immigration Service's approval of 91 business-visa applications, Parliament was told yesterday.
 
National Party immigration spokesman Lockwood Smith asked Immigration Minister David Cunliffe about the inquiry in Parliament.
 
"Precisely what is being investigated in his department when on 10 August this year the deputy secretary (legal) of the Department of Labour wrote: 'I have begun an investigation into the circumstances in which the 91 business applications were approved'?"
 
Mr Cunliffe said he would "endeavour to check" and would get back to Dr Smith.
 
Dr Smith raised further questions about the applications, many of which came from China and some of which were processed in just 32 hours.
 
Mr Cunliffe again said he would check and get back to Dr Smith.

Policy changes for December 2006

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Wednesday, November 01, 2006

A number of policy changes will come into effect on 4 December 2006 while the below policy changes are effective from 1 November 2006. The policy changes relate to the following sections of the Immigration Policy Manual:

P2 Classes of exchange scheme
P3 Approved work exchange schemes
P3.1 Requirements for approved work exchange schemes
P3.5 Making a proposal to establish an approved work exchange scheme
P3.10 Work Exchange Scheme Profile
P3.15 Requirements for participants in approved work exchange schemes
P4 Approved student exchange schemes
P4.1 Making a proposal to establish an approved student exchange scheme

Please contact TNC for more information. 

Seasonal work policy strong on compliance

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26/10/2006

The government has invested heavily in compliance measures to ensure the new Recognised Seasonal Employer policy works well, say Immigration Minister David Cunliffe and Social Development and Employment Minister David Benson-Pope.

"An additional $7.8 million is being put into compliance measures over the next five years so that the new policy can be implemented well and illegal labour can be replaced by legitimate workers employed under good, well-monitored work practices," Mr Benson-Pope said.

"The additional money is a significant investment that will pay for new immigration compliance officers and labour inspectors. Staff will be in place to support the new scheme when it begins.

"There has been good support for the new policy from such diverse groups as Horticulture NZ, NZ Winegrowers, Kiwifruit Growers Inc, Pipfruit NZ, the Council of Trade Unions and Oxfam.

"The Rural and Associated Contractors Federation can be assured that the policy addresses their concerns," Mr Benson-Pope said.

Mr Cunliffe said the policy included such measures as facilitating employment, vetting, orientation, training, travel, pastoral care and departure from New Zealand, an additional resource worth around $700,000 for four years.

"It will protect employers by requiring that workers go home at the end of each season as a condition of the employer's registration status. Employers face a financial penalty if their workers overstay, as well as the possibility of revocation of their Recognised Seasonal Employer status.

"Workers have strong incentives to come back for the new season and won't risk that by overstaying," Mr Cunliffe said.

“The Labour-led government will work with industry to ensure that any operational issues are addressed quickly and effectively. Ministers are always open to discuss stakeholder concerns, preferably before issues are thrashed out through the media," the ministers said.

(Source: Media release Minister of Immigration)