Cost versus contribution, sick migrants test rules

Immigration officials weighed up the costs of accepting migrants with medical conditions against the contribution they would make by living here, Immigration Minister David Cunliffe said yesterday.

Immigrants were not accepted into New Zealand if they had a medical condition likely to place "heavy demands" on the health system, Mr Cunliffe said.

But "medical waivers" were granted where the immigrant's contribution to New Zealand would be significant, he said.

National health spokesman Tony Ryall said the Government must enforce its immigration health rules to stem the flow of illegal migrants running up unpaid hospital bills.

Dwayne Crombie, chief executive of the Waitemata District Health Board, said illegal immigrants were "sneaking" into New Zealand and running up massive medical hospital bills they could not pay.

"The money we spend on these people is money we cannot spend on New Zealand residents or citizens, " he said.

Mr Ryall said the Immigration Service was failing to follow its own rules on who it admitted into the country.

Immigration officials were granting residence to foreigners despite medical advice that they would cost the public health service millions of dollars a year.

Three Auckland district health boards were reported to be owed more than $4 million by foreign patients.

Foreigners have run up $10 million in unpaid health bills in New Zealand since 2003.

Mr Cunliffe said changes were made last November to health screening policy to tighten the rules around what standards of immigrants' health would be accepted into New Zealand.

"In general, we do not accept people into this country if their condition is likely to place heavy demands on our healthcare system or require major funding. That is not fair to New Zealand or New Zealanders," Mr Cunliffe said.

"There are exceptional circumstances. Sometimes we grant medical waivers to people who can show that their contribution to New Zealand will be significant.

"Medical waivers are relatively rare. The Immigration Service needs to be convinced that the benefits outweigh the costs."

- NZPA