Making immigration work: deportation, visas and a welfare stand-down

Resident visa holders convicted of offences carrying sentences of 10 years or more could be deported no matter how long they had been in New Zealand. The document frames residency as a privilege and argues that because victims face no time limit on their suffering there should be none on accountability. It notes this goes further than the current Government proposal, which extends liability to 20 years.

Accredited Employer Work Visa skill categories would automatically expire each year, and could only stay open on up-to-date evidence of demand. The argument is that the categories are meant to fill crucial skills gaps but stay wide open after the gaps close.

All residence class visa holders would be barred from jobseeker support, the accommodation supplement and income-tested benefits for their first five years. The stated principle: coming to New Zealand should be a path to opportunity rather than to welfare.

A $6-a-day infrastructure surcharge on temporary work visas, on top of existing charges, so that migrants contribute from day one and before they start paying tax. The document puts the revenue at around $80 million a year and says the charge would remain more affordable than comparable visas in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Basic English requirements would extend to all Accredited Employer Work Visa types, which the document says currently have none at three of five levels, with higher standards for student and resident visa holders and lower standards permitted for seasonal workers.

A dedicated overstayer enforcement unit would be established within Immigration New Zealand. Platform employers such as Uber and DoorDash would have to verify and report work rights, and employers who facilitate overstaying would lose their accreditation.