Kia ora Chris McCashin,
 
On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 5/09/2025 requesting, under the Official
Information Act 1982, the following:
 
I am writing to request the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982.

Total number of all visa types issued for entry into New Zealand, please
provide the following data for the most recent full calendar year (or
please specify the available date range):

Visa Type (e.g., Visitor, Student, Work, Resident, Refugee, etc.)
Number of Visas Issued (for each visa type)
Number of Visas Expired (for each visa type)
Number of Overstayers (i.e., individuals who remained in New Zealand after
their visa expired, for each visa type)
Country of Origin (for each visa type, with numbers broken down by
country)
Age Bracket (for each visa type, using standard age brackets such as 0–17,
18–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65+)
Number of Dependants Attached (i.e., the number of dependants linked to
the principal applicant for each visa type, broken down as above where
possible)
Employment Status of visa holders (e.g., employed full-time, employed
part-time, self-employed, unemployed, not in the labour force), broken
down by visa type and, if available, by age bracket and country of origin

For the Refugee Category specifically, please also provide:

Total Number of Refugees Accepted (including principal applicants and
dependants)
Breakdown of Refugee Numbers by Country of Origin and Age Bracket
Total Costs Associated with Refugee Housing and Benefits for the requested
period, including:
Government expenditure on initial refugee resettlement housing
Ongoing accommodation support
Benefit payments and other welfare assistance

Are you also able to provide an estimate of people in NZ on falsified
visas.
 
We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible, and no
later than 3/10/2025, being 20 working days after the day your request
was received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will
notify you of an extension of that timeframe. If you have any enquiries
regarding your request feel free to contact us via email to
[1][MBIE request email].
 
Nāku noa, nā
Ministerial Services
Strategy and Assurance
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011 |  P O Box 1473 Wellington 6140

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[MBIE request email]

Kia ora Chris, thank you for your request below under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act). I’m reaching out to consult with you on
some elements of your request, and advise you of a partial transfer of
your request. For ease of reference and communication, I’m numbering your
queries below.

 1. Total number of all visa types issued for entry into New Zealand,
please provide the following data for the most recent full calendar
year (or please specify the available date range):
 2. Visa Type (e.g., Visitor, Student, Work, Resident, Refugee, etc.)
 3. Number of Visas Issued (for each visa type)
 4. Number of Visas Expired (for each visa type)
 5. Number of Overstayers (i.e., individuals who remained in New Zealand
after their visa expired, for each visa type)
 6. Country of Origin (for each visa type, with numbers broken down by
country)
 7. Age Bracket (for each visa type, using standard age brackets such as
0–17, 18–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65+)
 8. Number of Dependants Attached (i.e., the number of dependants linked
to the principal applicant for each visa type, broken down as above
where possible)
 9. Employment Status of visa holders (e.g., employed full-time, employed
part-time, self-employed, unemployed, not in the labour force), broken
down by visa type and, if available, by age bracket and country of
origin

 

10. For the Refugee Category specifically, please also provide:
11. Total Number of Refugees Accepted (including principal applicants and
dependants)
12. Breakdown of Refugee Numbers by Country of Origin and Age Bracket
13. Total Costs Associated with Refugee Housing and Benefits for the
requested period, including:
14. Government expenditure on initial refugee resettlement housing
15. Ongoing accommodation support
16. Benefit payments and other welfare assistance

 

17. Are you also able to provide an estimate of people in NZ on falsified
visas.

 

Questions 1-3 and 6-8

The information you are requesting appears to be for a large quantity of
information that is already publicly available. You may be interested in
the statistics published on the Immigration New Zealand website at:
[1]https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us...
where statistics are published on visas granted by visa type and country
of origin for previous financial years. Additionally, the data explorer
allows you to filter by visa types, country of origin and by age range. I
note that the statistics given on these pages encompass a large range of
information, for example work visa applications span over 99 pages of
spreadsheets and visitor visa decisions over 69 pages, and these are only
two categories of visas (although the information on these pages is for a
larger time period). If you are looking for information over and above the
information provided on these sites, such a request may not be fulfillable
without substantial collation or research. However, I note that these
pages already contain a number of the statistics you are requesting, so
may be sufficient to answer the information you are seeking. If you are
seeking further information than what is provided on these sites, we would
ask you to provide the format in which you want the information provided –
noting that it would not be possible to provide the information you have
specifically requested in a single table, and how the information you are
requesting differs from the information presented in these publicly
available tables.

Regarding question 5 (in which you requested statistics on overstayers),
the latest estimate on overstayers was released on the Immigration New
Zealand (INZ) website here:
[2]https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us....
On this basis, we are likely to refuse question 5 under section 18(d) of
the Act as the information is publicly available. While I acknowledge you
are requesting this information for a narrower date range, to provide this
information the most recent full calendar year (as you’ve requested) would
likely result in the response to question 5 matching the response to
question 4. I anticipate we should be able to provide an answer for
question 4.

Regarding question 9, the detail of information you have requested cannot
be made available without substantial collation or research. The
employment status of persons holding visas with work rights (i.e. work
visas, resident visas and some limited visas) is not held in a reportable
format. Ministry staff would need to manually review thousands of
applications to determine where employment was declared and the type of
employment declared. This will necessitate refusal of this question under
section 18(f) of the Act, where information of this nature is held.
Unfortunately, I do not consider that there is any way of narrowing this
request to a degree that is fulfillable without substantial collation or
research. I also note there are a number of visa types do not require
applicants to provide employment information, necessitating a partial
refusal of this question under section 18(g), as the information is not
held.

 

Regarding question 17, we also anticipate this will need to be refused
under section 18(g) of the Act, as the information is not held. Instances
of visa fraud are unlikely to be known to MBIE unless reported on an
individual basis by third-parties, in which case, action may then occur to
cancel the visa (if a visa is held). Although we consider the information
you have requested is not likely to be held, you could consider amending
your request to be for data that may be held, such as the amount of
residence class visa holders who have had such visas cancelled under
section 158 of the Immigration Act 2009.

 

Please note that we are transferring questions 15 and 16 of your request
to the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), a separate email will follow
on this shortly.

 

We will continue to consider the remainder of your request under the
provisions of the Act, specifically question 4 and questions 10-13.

Ngâ Mihi,

 

Ethan

 

MINISTERIAL SERVICES

Office of the Deputy Secretary Immigration, Immigration New Zealand | Rôpû
Manene
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hîkina Whakatutuki

NZBN 9429000106078

 

------------------- Original Message -------------------
From: [3][FOI #32243 email]; 
Received: Fri Sep 05 2025 16:08:24 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
To: OIA <[4][MBIE request email]>; 
Subject: Official Information request - Type & Number of Visa Holders in
NZ

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

I am writing to request the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982.
Total number of all visa types issued for entry into New Zealand, please
provide the following data for the most recent full calendar year (or
please specify the available date range):

 

Visa Type (e.g., Visitor, Student, Work, Resident, Refugee, etc.)

Number of Visas Issued (for each visa type)

Number of Visas Expired (for each visa type)

Number of Overstayers (i.e., individuals who remained in New Zealand after
their visa expired, for each visa type)

Country of Origin (for each visa type, with numbers broken down by
country)

Age Bracket (for each visa type, using standard age brackets such as 0–17,
18–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65+)

Number of Dependants Attached (i.e., the number of dependants linked to
the principal applicant for each visa type, broken down as above where
possible)

Employment Status of visa holders (e.g., employed full-time, employed
part-time, self-employed, unemployed, not in the labour force), broken
down by visa type and, if available, by age bracket and country of origin

For the Refugee Category specifically, please also provide:

Total Number of Refugees Accepted (including principal applicants and
dependants)
Breakdown of Refugee Numbers by Country of Origin and Age Bracket
Total Costs Associated with Refugee Housing and Benefits for the requested
period, including:
Government expenditure on initial refugee resettlement housing
Ongoing accommodation support
Benefit payments and other welfare assistance

Are you also able to provide an estimate of people in NZ on falsified
visas.

If possible, I would appreciate the data in a tabular format (e.g., Excel
or CSV).

Yours faithfully,
Chris

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[5][FOI #32243 email]

Is [6][MBIE request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests
to Ministry of Business, Innovation &amp; Employment? If so, please
contact us using this form:
[7]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[8]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

References

Visible links
1. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us...
2. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us...
3. mailto:[FOI #32243 email]
4. mailto:[MBIE request email]
5. mailto:[FOI #32243 email]
6. mailto:[MBIE request email]
7. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
8. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Chris, as advised in my previous email seeking refinement of your
request, we are transferring questions 15 and 16 of your request to the
Ministry of Social Development (MSD), as the information is not held by
MBIE but is believed to be held by MSD. In such cases, we are required by
section 14(b)(i) of the Act to transfer your request. We have numbered
your request below to indicate exactly which questions have been
transferred.

 

MSD has the usual timeframes under the Act from receipt of this transfer
to fulfil your request. If you need to get in contact with MSD, you can
email [1][email address].

 

 

 1. Total number of all visa types issued for entry into New Zealand,
please provide the following data for the most recent full calendar
year (or please specify the available date range):
 2. Visa Type (e.g., Visitor, Student, Work, Resident, Refugee, etc.)
 3. Number of Visas Issued (for each visa type)
 4. Number of Visas Expired (for each visa type)
 5. Number of Overstayers (i.e., individuals who remained in New Zealand
after their visa expired, for each visa type)
 6. Country of Origin (for each visa type, with numbers broken down by
country)
 7. Age Bracket (for each visa type, using standard age brackets such as
0–17, 18–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65+)
 8. Number of Dependants Attached (i.e., the number of dependants linked
to the principal applicant for each visa type, broken down as above
where possible)
 9. Employment Status of visa holders (e.g., employed full-time, employed
part-time, self-employed, unemployed, not in the labour force), broken
down by visa type and, if available, by age bracket and country of
origin

 

10. For the Refugee Category specifically, please also provide:
11. Total Number of Refugees Accepted (including principal applicants and
dependants)
12. Breakdown of Refugee Numbers by Country of Origin and Age Bracket
13. Total Costs Associated with Refugee Housing and Benefits for the
requested period, including:
14. Government expenditure on initial refugee resettlement housing
15. Ongoing accommodation support
16. Benefit payments and other welfare assistance

 

17. Are you also able to provide an estimate of people in NZ on falsified
visas.

 

 

 

Ngâ Mihi,

 

Ethan

 

MINISTERIAL SERVICES

Office of the Deputy Secretary Immigration, Immigration New Zealand | Rôpû
Manene
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hîkina Whakatutuki

NZBN 9429000106078

 

------------------- Original Message -------------------
From: [2][FOI #32243 email]; 
Received: Fri Sep 05 2025 16:08:24 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
To: OIA <[3][MBIE request email]>; 
Subject: Official Information request - Type & Number of Visa Holders in
NZ

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

I am writing to request the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982.
Total number of all visa types issued for entry into New Zealand, please
provide the following data for the most recent full calendar year (or
please specify the available date range):

 

Visa Type (e.g., Visitor, Student, Work, Resident, Refugee, etc.)

Number of Visas Issued (for each visa type)

Number of Visas Expired (for each visa type)

Number of Overstayers (i.e., individuals who remained in New Zealand after
their visa expired, for each visa type)

Country of Origin (for each visa type, with numbers broken down by
country)

Age Bracket (for each visa type, using standard age brackets such as 0–17,
18–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65+)

Number of Dependants Attached (i.e., the number of dependants linked to
the principal applicant for each visa type, broken down as above where
possible)

Employment Status of visa holders (e.g., employed full-time, employed
part-time, self-employed, unemployed, not in the labour force), broken
down by visa type and, if available, by age bracket and country of origin

For the Refugee Category specifically, please also provide:

Total Number of Refugees Accepted (including principal applicants and
dependants)
Breakdown of Refugee Numbers by Country of Origin and Age Bracket
Total Costs Associated with Refugee Housing and Benefits for the requested
period, including:
Government expenditure on initial refugee resettlement housing
Ongoing accommodation support
Benefit payments and other welfare assistance

Are you also able to provide an estimate of people in NZ on falsified
visas.

If possible, I would appreciate the data in a tabular format (e.g., Excel
or CSV).

Yours faithfully,
Chris

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[4][FOI #32243 email]

Is [5][MBIE request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests
to Ministry of Business, Innovation &amp; Employment? If so, please
contact us using this form:
[6]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[7]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[FOI #32243 email]
3. mailto:[MBIE request email]
4. mailto:[FOI #32243 email]
5. mailto:[MBIE request email]
6. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
7. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Tēnā koe Chris McCashin,

 

Thank you for your request regarding people with refugee visas receiving
ongoing assistance from the Ministry transferred from Ministry of Business
Innovation and Employment on 16 September 2025, under the Official
Information Act 1982. Your request has been forwarded to the appropriate
officials at National Office to respond. You may expect a decision
regarding your request to be sent to you as soon as possible.

 

The information you have requested may contain the names and contact
details of our staff. Please let us know by 18 September 2025 whether you
require these names and contact details. We will need to consult our staff
before deciding whether we can release this information, and this will
take a bit more time. If we do not hear from you, we will assume that you
do not require staff names and contact details.

 

Ngā manaakitanga,

 

Official Information Team   |  Ministerial and Executive Services

Ministry of Social Development | Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau

 

This email and any attachments may contain information that is
confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended
recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this
email and attachments is prohibited. If you have received this email in
error please notify the author immediately and erase all copies of the
email and attachments. The Ministry of Social Development accepts no
responsibility for changes made to this message or attachments after
transmission from the Ministry.