28 April 2026
DOIA-REQ-0030832
Winnie
[FYI request #34257 email]
Tēnā koe Winnie
Thank you for your email of 26 March 2026 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(MBIE) requesting, information relating to movements of failed refugee claimants once they leave New
Zealand under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the full wording of your request is attached in
Appendix one.
Our response
Question 1
Whether MBIE and/or INZ holds any information regarding post-return monitoring, follow-up, or
outcome tracking in relation to the above persons after they returned to their country of
nationality or former habitual residence.
Question 2
If held, please provide the following data, as far as possible, aggregated by financial year and
nationality:
(1) the number of persons who returned to their country of nationality or former habitual
residence;
(2) the number of cases known to MBIE/INZ after return in which the above persons experienced
one or more of the following:
persecution ;
torture ;
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment ;
arbitrary detention ;
enforced disappearance ;
other serious harm
3. If MBIE/INZ does not hold structured statistical data on the above subject, please clearly state
the following:
(2) if so, the scope, purpose, and method of such tracking;
In response to the above questions MBIE is refusing these parts of your request under section 18(g) of the
Act, as the information requested is not held by MBIE and there are no grounds for believing that the
information is held by another department (for itself and for a departmental agency hosted by it or an
interdepartmental executive board serviced by it) or interdepartmental venture or Minister of the Crown
or organisation, or by a local authority.
Question 3
If MBIE/INZ does not hold structured statistical data on the above subject, please clearly state the
following:
(1) whether such post-return tracking is conducted;
(3) if not, why such tracking is not conducted;
(4) whether the establishment of such a tracking or outcome-recording mechanism has ever been
considered
(5) if MBIE/INZ does not hold the above post-return outcome information, whether this means
that MBIE/INZ does not hold any follow-up information concerning unsuccessful claimants who,
after return, suffered persecution, torture, arbitrary detention, or other serious harm.
With regard to the questions above, I can confirm that no post-return tracking is conducted. New Zealand
has a thorough and effective system for determining international protection needs. This includes the
right to a de novo appeal to the Immigration Protection Tribunal, an independent tribunal, meaning the
appeal body reassesses the protection claim afresh on its merits. The tribunal is not limited to reviewing
the correctness of the initial decision, and may consider new evidence, updated country information, and
changes in the claimant’s circumstances before reaching its own independent determination. Individuals
who are ultimately declined have therefore been assessed through a comprehensive process and found
not to be in need of international protection.
There are both practical and legal barriers to any New Zealand government agency attempting to monitor
failed asylum seekers after they have returned to their country of origin; as such, the establishment of a
tracking or outcome-recording mechanism has not been considered, and MBIE does not hold any
follow-up information on unsuccessful claimants post-return.
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 a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802
602.
Nāku noa, nā
Alejandra Mercado
General Manager Refugee and Migrant Services (Acting)
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Appendix – full wording of your request
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request the following information held by MBIE and/or
Immigration New Zealand (INZ), including information held on their behalf.
This request concerns persons who made a refugee/protected person claim in New Zealand, but whose
claim was ultimately unsuccessful, and who subsequently left New Zealand, were removed, or were
deported to their country of nationality or former habitual residence.
Please provide the following information for the period from the 2018/19 financial year to the 2024/25
financial year:
1. Whether MBIE and/or INZ holds any information regarding post-return monitoring, follow-up, or
outcome tracking in relation to the above persons after they returned to their country of nationality or
former habitual residence.
2. If held, please provide the following data, as far as possible, aggregated by financial year and
nationality:
(1) the number of persons who returned to their country of nationality or former habitual residence;
(2) the number of cases known to MBIE/INZ after return in which the above persons experienced one or
more of the following:
persecution ;
torture ;
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment ;
arbitrary detention ;
enforced disappearance ;
other serious harm
3. If MBIE/INZ does not hold structured statistical data on the above subject, please clearly state the
following:
(1) whether such post-return tracking is conducted;
(2) if so, the scope, purpose, and method of such tracking;
(3) if not, why such tracking is not conducted;
(4) whether the establishment of such a tracking or outcome-recording mechanism has ever been
considered;
(5) if MBIE/INZ does not hold the above post-return outcome information, whether this means that
MBIE/INZ does not hold any follow-up information concerning unsuccessful claimants who, after return,
suffered persecution, torture, arbitrary detention, or other serious harm
