NZ First’s Policy of Division: Turning Hatred of Migrants into Political Power
New Zealand First has announced what it describes as a programme of sweeping immigration reform. Its proposals include extending the period required for permanent residence from two to five years and for citizenship from five to ten years; excluding non-citizens from welfare assistance for their first ten years in New Zealand; removing automatic work rights […]
Beyond the Immigration Tap (A long-term policy response to New Zealand’s dependence on temporary migrant labour)
By Alastair McClymont I was recently asked by a political party to provide my view on a long-term policy proposal for addressing a difficult structural problem: how can New Zealand prevent low-quality jobs becoming permanently dependent on low- and semi-skilled temporary migrant workers? The question is important because the usual political debate begins in the […]
The Permanently Temporary Migrant: What New Zealand’s Latest Skilled Migrant Residence Changes tell us about the direction of New Zealand Immigration Policy
In August this year, New Zealand will introduce significant changes to its skilled residence programme, including two new residence pathways: the Skilled Work Experience Pathway and the Trades and Technicians Pathway. The reforms have generally been welcomed within the immigration industry as long-overdue improvements. However, the real significance of these changes lies not in the […]
How New Zealand Built an Immigration System That Quietly Exploits People
If you want to see where an immigration system can end up when cruelty becomes normal, you don’t have to look very far right now. Just look at the United States. There, immigration enforcement has become openly violent and performative: armed raids, family separations, detention camps, political rhetoric that treats migrants as criminals by default, […]
Getting the Visa Is Just the Beginning
How employment, business, family and property issues often become part of the immigration journey. If you’ve worked with our team before, you probably know us as “the immigration people.” You might have come to us for an Accredited Employer Work Visa, an employer accreditation, residency, a partnership visa, or maybe to bring family over to […]