National promises migrant crackdown

National says it will soon announce its immigration policy, which will help authorities crack down on immigrants who gain entry on job promises and then "disappear" once they get here.

Party immigration spokesman Tony Ryall says a number of employers have told him of hiring overseas workers who have taken off once they gained permanent residency.

The latest example was a Kerikeri fruit producer who had helped bring in 20 Samoans, only to have eight leave within weeks of starting the orchard work.

Mr Ryall said Labour was turning a blind eye to abuse of the immigration system by unscrupulous people who used job offers to get into the country and then quit.

"Some people are being granted permanent residence and then absconding from jobs, going on benefits and committing crime."

Mr Ryall said permanent residency gave migrants virtually all the advantages and rights of citizenship.

"That privilege should be earned ... we should be expecting a demonstrated commitment to New Zealand and our laws. Anyone breaching those laws should be summarily deported."

Mr Ryall would not tell the Herald exactly what National planned to do as that detail is in its immigration policy, to be released within a couple of weeks.

"But it will address this specific issue of people abusing permanent residency."

Kerifresh citrus manager Andrew Harty said he did not know where the eight workers had gone but suspected they were with extended family in South Auckland.

Mr Harty said they had reneged on expectations they would repay from their wages their airfares to New Zealand, which Kerifresh had paid.

The workers had had the opportunity to work for up to $17 an hour six days a week at the company, he said.

The Department of Labour had helped Kerifresh recruit the Samoan workers as part of an attempt to help fill the annual Samoan quota to New Zealand.