Migrant quota raised to 51,500

The Government yesterday increased the qualifying threshold to 140 points for potential migrants while lifting the annual immigration quota for the first time in four years.

Immigration Minister David Cunliffe is signalling it is just the start of a major overhaul of immigration policies, and he is calling for the development of a public consensus on the value of "skill-driven migration".

The threshold has moved up and down since the new skilled migrant system was introduced in 2003. It was first 100 and was raised as high as 195 the following year before being dropped back to 100 last September.

Prospective migrants scoring below 140 but who have a job or job offer may still be offered residency. Other exceptions may also be made.

National immigration spokesman Lockwood Smith said yesterday that the points level was too low, enabling people unlikely to get a job in the country to get residency.

But he said changing the level so radically was unfair on applicants.

Mr Cunliffe also confirmed the immigration quota would be raised for the first time since 2002, to 51,500 for each of the next two years.

The quota was dropped from 53,000 in 2002 to 45,000 people a year, with provision for 5000 more or less.

Former Immigration Minister Paul Swain aimed for 50,000 last financial year but achieved 48,815.

Figures out this week revealed a net migration gain of 6157 in the year to November, down 62 per cent from the gain at the same time last year.

New Zealand First has continually called for a lower immigration quota, but leader Winston Peters was not voicing concerns yesterday.

He welcomed the points change, saying it was designed to attract the best qualified people.

He said the quota had not moved for some years and, on a per capita basis, the change would not even match population growth.

"Demand is high in our residence categories," Mr Cunliffe said. "We can afford to be more selective to target the top talent and those with job offers in areas of skill shortage."

Possibly hinting that immigration levels might be further raised, he said there needed to be less politicking on immigration levels.

"There are win/win advantages for New Zealand if we can get a stronger public consensus around the value of skill-driven migration and stop it being a political football to the extent it has been."

The Government would embark on a "fundamental review" of the immigration programme next year, he said.

Together with a Labour Department baseline review and a review of the Immigration Act it meant "we're looking probably at the most rapid period for realignment of the service for some time."