17 June 2024
Ref: DOIA 2324-2576
Chris McCashin
Email:
[FYI request #26939 email]
Tēnā koe Chris,
Thank you for your email of 22 May 2024 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following information:
1. Please provide an estimate of the number of il egal aliens currently in New Zealand.
Are you also able to breakdown into various categories. These might be:
- Overstayed
- Arrived on falsified visa
- Smuggled / trafficked in
- Other
These categories might be different – unsure.
Can you also provide the number of these people who are in state houses / emergency
housing.
2.
Also provide deportation numbers per year from 2010 until this year.
Our response
To clarify, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) does not use the term “il egal
aliens”. The Ministry refers to migrants without valid visas in New Zealand as being unlawfully in New
Zealand.
1. Please provide an estimate of the number of il egal aliens currently in New Zealand.
Are you also able to breakdown into various categories. These might be:
- Overstayed
- Arrived on falsified visa
- Smuggled / trafficked in
- Other
These categories might be different – unsure.
The most recent estimate of people unlawfully in New Zealand was completed in December 2017. That
report es�mated that there were around 14,000 individuals, who were unlawful y in New Zealand at that
�me. To ensure the integrity of this data, Immigra�on New Zealand (INZ) took a sample of approximately
2,000 people from the data set and manual y inves�gated each client record to establish which clients
were in New Zealand unlawful y. This propor�on was then applied to the complete data set to get an
es�mate of the total number of individuals unlawfully in New Zealand.
MBIE does not have a breakdown by the categories you have requested. This part of your request is
therefore refused in reliance on section 18(e) of the Act as the information does not exist.
In accordance with section 18B of the Act we have considered whether consultation with you would allow
a different response to be provided; however it is our opinion that it would not.
MBIE encourages those who are unlawfully in New Zealand to engage with officials to regularise their
immigration status. Most people depart voluntarily when we contact them. A voluntary departure does
not preclude people returning to New Zealand if they are able to obtain the necessary visa, but this will
depend on the individual circumstances.
If people unlawfully in New Zealand choose not to cooperate and disengage from us, then they risk being
deported and face a prohibition of up to five years on returning to New Zealand as well as having to repay
any costs associated with their deportation.
Can you also provide the number of these people who are in state houses / emergency housing
MBIE does not record if people are in state houses or emergency housing. This part of your request is
therefore refused in reliance on section 18(e) of the Act as the information does not exist.
In accordance with section 18B of the Act we have considered whether consultation with you would al ow
a different response to be provided; however it is our opinion that it would not.
2.
Also provide deportation numbers per year from 2010 until this year.
The following table shows deportations from New Zealand by financial year broken down by deportation
type.
Financial year
Client
Client self-
Voluntary
(July-June)
deported
deported
departure
2010/11
315
-
494
2011/12
711
3
1,335
2012/13
752
428
1,328
2013/14
649
521
684
2014/15
511
654
577
2015/16
532
899
461
2016/17
727
713
736
2017/18
635
1,089
1,350
2018/19
454
586
865
2019/20
360
360
549
2020/21
251
178
271
2021/22
154
162
222
2022/23
224
247
242
2023/24
227
207
251
The following caveats apply to the data in the table above.
The earliest deportation case date is from December 2010. Data prior to this date was recorded in
another case management system and is no longer accessible.
The self-deportation outcome became available in June 2012.
Deportation data is extracted differently for the pre-2018 and post-2018 period; for the latter the
date is based on client’s actual departed date, for the former the number is an addition of both case
closed date and client departed date.
Deportation — A person who is unlawful y in New Zealand who has been served a deportation order
and departs New Zealand, or a temporary visa holder who was made liable for deportation and
departs New Zealand after the date when they may be served with a deportation order.
Self-deportation — A person who is unlawfully in New Zealand who departs New Zealand of their
own volition and at no cost to the Ministry after the date when the person may be served with a
deportation order, but they have not been served with such an order.
Voluntary departure — A person who is unlawfully in New Zealand or is a temporary visa holder who
was made liable for deportation and departs of their own volition and at no cost to the Ministry prior
to the date when the person may be served with a deportation order.
You can read more information regarding deportations on the Immigration New Zealand website at
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/common-topics/deportation.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any further assistance,
please contact
[email address].
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.
Nāku noa, nā
Stephanie Greathead
National Manager Compliance
Immigration Compliance and Investigations
Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
