Asylum seekers, refugees and refugee settlement Refugee Health and Wellbeing Primary Care Workshop 20 November 2015 Suzanne Malan – Immigration New Zealand

Overview New Zealand’s immigration programme Refugee and Protection Status Refugee Quota Programme Refugee Family Support Category New Zealand Refugee Resettlement Strategy

NZ’s Immigration Programme 47,000 – 50,000 new residents annually o Skilled/Business Stream - 60% o Family Stream - 30% o International/Humanitarian - 10% [Refugees approx. 2%] Temporary visas (workers, students, visitors etc) Visa applications – health assessment

Refugee and Protection Status Immigration Act 2009 o 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees o 1984 Convention Against Torture o 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Refugee and protected person claimants Legal aid Interpreters Social assistance Health care Education Access to labour market

Claimants’ health care eligibility Eligible – refugees, applicants for refugee/protection status, and people appealing against refusal of refugee/protection status Proof required of eligibility Not eligible – A person whose appeal against refusal of refugee/protection status has been declined by the Immigration and Protection Tribunal Free public health screening

Approved refugee and protected persons Are eligible to apply for: o permanent resident visa o citizenship after being a permanent resident for five years Access to same health, housing, education, and benefit and employment support as other NZ residents and citizens

Refugee Quota Programme Three-year Refugee Quota Programme (750 places annually) Annual refugee quota includes: o At least 75 women at risk o Up to 75 medical/disabled (incl 20 HIV) o General Protection (including family reunification) Syrian refugee resettlement NZ residents on arrival

Refugee quota selection and decision process UNHCR referral received and assessed Onshore/offshore assessment including interview Decision made taking into consideration the following main factors: o Credibility o Risk o Settlement Offshore health check

Offshore health checks TB and HIV Ineligible for residence/inclusion conditions unless granted residence by the Minister: o require dialysis treatment; or o have severe haemophilia; or o have a physical, intellectual, cognitive and/or sensory incapacity that requires full time care, including care in the community; or

Offshore health checks cont Ineligible for residence/inclusion conditions unless granted residence by the Minister: o currently have tuberculosis (TB) (any form including pulmonary and non-pulmonary TB, Multidrug-Resistant (MDR)-TB and Extensively Drug-Resistant (XDR)-TB) and have not completed full treatment for TB as outlined in the New Zealand Guidelines for TB Treatment; or o have had a history, diagnostic findings or treatment for MDR-TB or XDR-TB, unless cleared by a New Zealand Respiratory or Infectious Diseases specialist.

Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre 6 intakes each year around persons each intake 6 week reception programme includes: o health and mental health assessment, initial treatment and health promotion o settlement planning and orientation to New Zealand life o English language o preparing working-age adults for employment; and o preparing children for school

Settlement in the Community Refugee settlement locations – Auckland region, Waikato, Manawatu, Wellington region, Nelson Furnished house Settlement support is provided to quota refugees during their first 12 months in the community

Refugee Family Support Category Supports refugees living in New Zealand to settle by allowing them to sponsor family members for residence Up to 300 sponsored people (including their partners and dependent children) each year NZ residents – can access the same health, housing, education, and benefit and employment support as other NZ residents and citizens

New Zealand Refugee Resettlement Strategy – overarching outcome Refugees are participating fully and integrated socially and economically as soon as possible so they are living independently, undertaking the same responsibilities, and exercising the same rights as other New Zealanders and have a strong sense of belonging to their own community and to New Zealand.

Strategy Implementation Phase One (2013/14) – Service mix Phase Two (2014/15) o mapping English language needs and service provision o Employment DVD for reception programme o Driver training programme o Audit and Evaluation – reception programme and initial settlement Phase Three (2015/16) – Language barriers to accessing mainstream services – interpreters

Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre

Proposed New Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre – June 2016

Thank you Questions?