Amends the Immigration Act 2009 to tighten compliance and enforcement: it extends deportation liability for residence-class visa holders' criminal offending from 10 to 20 years, removes humanitarian appeals against deportation for visitor and offending temporary visa holders, raises the maximum sentence for migrant exploitation from 7 to 10 years, and bars further visa applications from people who withdraw asylum claims. It is still before Parliament.
This bill makes targeted amendments to the Immigration Act 2009 aimed at strengthening compliance and enforcement, the integrity of the refugee and protection system, and the wider immigration system. Its measures include extending the period during which a residence-class visa holder may be liable for deportation after criminal offending from 10 to 20 years, making deportation more likely for lower-level offending, narrowing some appeal rights for temporary visa holders, and increasing penalties for migrant exploitation.
Supporters argue that firmer settings deter offending and exploitation and protect the integrity of the immigration system and the labour market. Others caution that longer deportation liability and reduced appeal rights can affect long-settled residents and their families, raise questions of proportionality and natural justice, and should be balanced against protections for exploited migrants who may fear coming forward.
See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.