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3 December 2010. Tourism Sector, Immigration New Zealand Forum. Purpose of today. Discuss strategic issues common to our organisations Agree how we can best work together going forward. Department of Labour Context .
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3 December 2010 Tourism Sector, Immigration New Zealand Forum
Purpose of today • Discuss strategic issues common to our organisations • Agree how we can best work together going forward
Strategic and economic context – Immigration is really important to New Zealand! Immigration is a critical economic enabler... Migrants make up more than 25% of our workforce and make an annual net fiscal contribution of more than $3 billion Immigration Tourism contributed $8.8 billion last year Export education contributes over $2.3billion annually ... and plays a crucial role in keeping NZ safe from overseas undesirable elements Poor immigration systems are a constraint on economic growth and create security risks Immigration is a global business and Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is New Zealand’s ‘front door to the world’. • 30 offices in 17 countries with around 1300 staff • 602,000 temporary visa and permit decisions • 27,000 residence decisions • Vet around 1.7 million visa free travellers pre-arrival
What we do daily in Immigration On any given day Immigration New Zealand will: • Answer around 2000 phone calls through the Immigration Contact Centre • Decide 1920 temporary visa and permit applications • Answer around 400 Refugee and Settlement enquiries • Approve over 170 individuals for Residence • Finalise around 120 Returning Resident Visas • Speak to around 90 people at the border • Receive almost 40 applications for residence from overseas skilled migrants • Using risk profiling, deny entry to NZ to about 7 people • Safely remove around 7 overstayers
Immigration NZ Strategic Direction A more effective Immigration System 5. NZ's international reputation is maintained 1. The delivery of Immigration services is improved 2. Facilitation of entry for migrants, international students and tourists is improved 3. Settlement of migrants is improved 4. The integrity of NZ's immigration system is maintained and the risk & cost to NZ of illegal migration is reduced
Immigration NZ Strategic Direction • A lot of progress being made already • Service performance is improving • INZCP projects progressing • Our challenge is to move beyond today’s service offer • Technology will enable a different delivery model • The future is exciting and we all have a part to play in leading us there
Change in Immigration Group • Major programme of change • New organisational structure in place 7 from March 2011 • Aim – to position the organisation to drive improvements by: • Strengthening leadership • Bringing like functions together • Better integrating Immigration into wider DoL
Change in Immigration Group • Development of new, sustainable operating model supported by modern technology and streamlined business processes • Primary focus on a new visa service delivery model • Options include: • Outsourcing lower value activities • Centralising some processing functions • Reducing the size of the branch network
Other developments • Ongoing focus on quality and timeliness of visa processing • Increased focus on settlement and attraction, including improved navigation of INZ website • Improved Border Security capability • Increased capacity in the North Asian and African markets
Immigration Act changes • Employers must not employ foreign nationals not entitled to work in NZ • Employers need to show they have taken reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence in checking entitlement of foreign nationals to work. • Visa View – new free online tool to help employers meet new obligations under the Immigration Act
Immigration Act changes • New interim visas (Feb 2011) – to be granted to maintain lawful status in NZ where applicant • Holds valid temporary visa • Has applied for further temporary visa; and • Has application being considered • Benefit visitors, foreign students and workers who wish to extend their stay in New Zealand
Working Holiday Schemes • Working Holiday Schemes with 34 countries • Negotiations underway(MFAT) with potential new WHS partners • Last financial year around 40,000 working holidaymakers came to New Zealand