Crackdown on immigration fraud blows soft-touch image

By BERNARD ORSMAN

A crackdown on immigration fraud and a financial boost to help 10,000 migrants and refugees in Auckland find work are included in the Budget.

Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel announced measures aimed at reducing illegal activity in New Zealand and deterring people from targeting it as a soft touch.

Nearly $5 million has been set aside over the next four years to investigate and prosecute immigration fraud, increase the number of removals of failed refugee status claimants, ensure asylum seekers are humanely detained and better track immigration trends.

This get-tough approach is balanced by $5 million to help migrants and refugees in Auckland settle and find work through Work and Income with help from local councils and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

More than 10,000 migrants and refugees in Auckland are on welfare, 6500 of them for longer than six months, and Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey has provided $21.2 million over four years to implement the Auckland Metropolitan Migrant and Refugee Strategy.

To break down barriers such as language problems and racial discrimination, the strategy includes the establishment of a multilingual call centre, online services in key languages, work and income staff working at migrant centres, driver education and adult literacy courses.

A work experience pilot for migrant professionals will be expanded.

Mr Maharey also announced new funding of $894,000 across the country for improved access to training in English as a second language.

Work and Income national commissioner Ray Smith said 40 to 50 per cent of clients at some Auckland offices were migrants and refugees and it was important to recognise their skills and qualifications and introduce them to the workforce.

Information technology was one area of real opportunity and there had been some success already from EDS New Zealand employing recent arrivals.

Refugee Council chairman Nagalingam Rasalingam said the practical measures outlined in the strategy and funded in the Budget were most welcome.

He also supported the removal of greater numbers of failed refugee status claimants.

The Government also announced more money for targeting migrants with key skills from new countries.