5 July 2022
Mr Ge
[FYI request #19636 email]
Ref: DOIA 2122-2308
Dear Mr Ge,
Thank you for your email of 10 June 2022, requesting under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act),
the following information.
“Could you please provide some background information about refugees resettled in New Zealand
regarding why they fled their country of origin in the first place, those either came through refugee
quota program or family reunion or any other categories. Specifically,
1) What are the number and percentages of people that resettled in New Zealand (yearly figure
traced back to as far as you have the record) fled their country of origin due to religious
persecution?
2) What are the number and percentage of people that resettled in New Zealand (yearly figure
traced back to as far as you have the record) fled their country of origin due to ethnic
persecution?
3) What are the number and percentage of people that resettled in New Zealand (yearly figure
traced back to as far as you have the record) fled their country of origin due to political
persecution?
4) The number and percentage of people resettled in New Zealand as refugees that were initially
assessed against any other reason not mentioned above (yearly figure)?
5) Please also provide the yearly statistics of each category above sorted by gender and age groups“
Our Response
The information that you have requested in questions 1 - 5 is refused under section 18(f) of the Act, as the
information requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or research. This is because
the level of detail in the information you have requested would require a significant number of resources
and would unreasonably impact on MBIE’s ability to carry out its other operations.
Such administrative reasons for refusal are not subject to a ‘public interest test’, and there is no need to
consider whether public interest considerations outweigh the need to withhold this information. As such,
we will not be able to provide this data. I can, however, provide you with background information about
refugees resettled in New Zealand through the Refugee Quota Programme and other relevant categories.
There are two specific categories under which refugees arrive in New Zealand – the Refugee Quota
Programme and the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship Category (CORS). Refugees considered
for resettlement under the Refugee Quota Programme must be recognised as mandated refugees and
referred to New Zealand by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), according to
prescribed resettlement guidelines. All family members included as part of the Resettlement Referral are
considered to be mandated refugees. Immediate family members who are not in the RRF are not included
in the residence application but can subsequently be sponsored under the Refugee Quota Family
Reunification Category (RQFR).
In order to be recognised as a refugee, one step in the process is that UNHCR must determine there is a
“convention reason” for the persecution from which they are seeking protection or reasons they have fled
their home country. New Zealand does not collate data on the convention reason that applied to any
individual, nor is there any distinction made between those who applied under one convention or another.
When INZ processes and decides individual cases, the following factors are taken into consideration - INZ
policy, credibility, settlement, security, immigration risk, and health.
Refugees granted residence in New Zealand under the Refugee Quota Programme who are separated from
their immediate family can apply for family reunification under the Refugee Quota Family Reunification
category (RQFR). Applicants being sponsored under RQFR are most often in their country of origin and are
not mandated refugees.
CORS is a provision which is complementary to the Refugee Quota Programme, enabling New Zealand-
based community organisations to provide direct resettlement support to refugees. Principal and
secondary applicants must be mandated as refugees and meet relevant immigration policies for the
category, including security, risk and health assessments.
For further information on the refugee programme, the countries from which New Zealand has
received refugees, and experiences of the daily life of refugees in New Zealand, please visit the link
below on the Immigration New Zealand website: -
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/what-we-do/our-strategies-and-projects/supporting-
refugees-and-asylum-seekers/refugee-and-protection-unit/new-zealand-refugee-quota-programme
I hope that you find this information informative and helpful.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, please contact
[email address]. Yours sincerely,
Fiona Whiteridge
General Manager, Refugee and Migrant Services
Immigration New Zealand
