New Zealand is one of the most diverse countries on Earth, but is it quietly closing its doors to further immigration?

The island nation of fewer than 5 million has tightened visa rules in recent years and – some say – suffered labour shortages as a result

But in the wake of last month’s terrorist attacks in Christchurch, immigration is in the spotlight once more

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Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 7:00am, 5 Apr 2019Updated: 7:07am, 5 Apr 2019

New Zealand’s image as a welcoming, inclusive country seems to have emerged largely unscathed from the mass shootings in Christchurch last month, but visa statistics reveal that the current government is beginning to fulfil its election promise of reducing the number of new long-term migrants.

The official target for residency approvals was set at 45,000 just under two years ago, yet figures from Immigration New Zealand show that such approvals have declined by about 30 per cent since 2016.

Unlike neighbouring Australia, which simply abolished one of its visas for skilled foreign workers about a year ago to tighten immigration controls, Wellington has moved more stealthily.

Since 2016, a string of small regulatory tweaks – including a tightening of the points-based immigration system; the “temporary” closure of some visa categories such as the parent visa, which was popular among Chinese; new minimum income thresholds; stricter money laundering compliance; and more rules on property ownership – have made it harder to gain residency in the country.

Immigration New Zealand has also closed, or is in the process of closing, 12 of its 17 offshore processing centres, such as those in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta.

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