13 February 2024
Nessy Rose
[FYI request #25283 email]
File No: DOIA 2324-1369
Dear Ms Rose,
I refer to your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) received on 22 December
2023 requesting the following information from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment (Ministry):
“Under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) provisions, I am requesting access to
specific guidelines and related information used by Immigration New Zealand. This request
focuses on the criteria and procedures employed by Medical Assessors, Immigration Officers,
or the Health Assessment Team in evaluating health-related conditions for immigration
purposes. The specific details I seek are the most recent guidance notes concerning:
1. Skin-Related Conditions: Skin Lesions (including minor lesions) Skin Cancers General Skin
Conditions Additionally, I request the typical medical costing &/or treatment list used to treat
any of these skin conditions.
2. Hearing Impairments: Partial Hearing Loss
3. I would appreciate details on the total number of Medical Waivers issued under the Parent
Resident Visa Category for the period between and including 2019 - 2023, with a breakdown
by month. This request aims to comprehensively understand the assessment criteria,
processes, and associated costs for these health conditions.”.
Our Response
Point one - Skin-Related Conditions
The only Immigration New Zealand (INZ) guidelines which provide guidance on how to evaluate skin
related conditions are contained in a document called ‘ASH Conditions’ which is used by Immigration
Officers in the Health Assessment Team. This document assists Immigration Officers in determining
whether a condition can be considered as minor in nature. This document is enclosed as
Appendix
one.
Please note that ‘ASH’ stands for Acceptable Standard of Health. If a visa applicant has a condition
on this list, they would ordinarily be determined as having an acceptable standard of health. There
are various skin related conditions on this list, but other skin conditions which are not included on
this list, would be assessed on a case-by-case basis by INZ’s Medical Assessors in light of their own
experience as practising doctors.
There are no typical medical costings or treatment lists relevant to skin conditions. Medical
Assessors would be guided by any advice provided to them by the applicants’ themselves via
specialist reports. In some cases Medical Assessors may be able to obtain medication costings from
PHARMAC’s website.
Point two - Partial Hearing Loss
INZ holds information about how to assess hearing impairment in multiple documents as listed
below:
• The ‘ASH Conditions’ document (
Appendix one) notes that an applicant with either
‘deafness in one ear only’ or ‘partial deafness’ would ordinarily be determined as having
an acceptable standard of health.
• The INZ Operational Manual which is available on INZ’s website provides the following
guidance in respect of assessing resident visa applicants with hearing impairment:
The following content has been extracted from the INZ Operational Manual for the purpose of
responding to your specific request for information regarding how hearing impairment is assessed
by INZ.
•
A4.10(c) The conditions listed in A4.10.1 are considered to impose significant costs
and/or demands on New Zealand's health and/or special education services. Where
an immigration officer is satisfied (as a result of advice from an Immigration New
Zealand medical assessor) that an applicant has one of the listed conditions, that
applicant will be assessed as not having an acceptable standard of health.
•
A4.10.1 Medical conditions deemed to impose significant costs and/or demands on
New Zealand’s health and/or education services
• Severe (71-90 decibels) hearing loss or profound bilateral sensori-neural hearing
loss after best possible correction at country of origin, where significant support is
required, including cochlear implants.
The Guidelines for Medical Assessors: Special education needs and Ongoing Resourcing Scheme
(ORS) funding (version 4 September 2022) provides information about how to assess applicants for
resident and student visas who have special education needs due to a range of impairments.
The document Cochlear Implants - Information for INZ Medical Assessors (version 1 October 2017)
contains information about assessing applicants who may require cochlear implants. This document
is currently being reviewed and rewritten as it may not reflect current costs and other information in
this document may no longer be relevant.
The Guidelines for Medical Assessors and the Cochlear Implants document are also enclosed in
Appendix one.
Point three – Number of medical waivers issued under the Parent Resident Visa between 1
January 2019 to 31 December 2023
Decision
Assessment outcome
Month / Year
Number of applications
Approved
Not ASH
July 2023
1
Approved
Not ASH
November 2023
5
Approved
Not ASH
December 2023
1
Total
7
Please note: There were no decisions made from 2019 to 2022.
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].
Richard Owen
General Manager – Immigration Risk and Border
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
