Our priority is to ensure that the immigration system delivers maximum value to New Zealand. We must be ready for the future, and we want to deliver better services at less cost.
‘Vision 2015’ of Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is a big step towards these goals. It is about having a more flexible, responsive and efficient approach to attracting the best people to New Zealand.
A prime example of this is the new Immigration Global Management System (IGMS). The Government is investing $75 million because we see it as a way to deliver timely, responsive and secure immigration services.
The old computer system is about 20 years old, and with Ultrafast Broadband on the way, the time is right to move to a more responsive and flexible way of doing business.
Improved services
Prime Minister John Key has clearly signalled that the public sector should make greater use of technology to deliver better services.
This is one way of responding to that challenge.
It is also a further step in increasing immigration’s contribution to the economy.
I am confident that the benefits of IGMS will transform the way INZ does business and help put us on a level playing field with our competitors by having a state of the art IT system.
The benefits of IGMS will begin accruing next year when the first elements of the new system are delivered and students will be able to apply online for visas.
Applications will be processed even faster.
Once IGMS is fully implemented in 2015, customers applying for New Zealand visas will have their own personal online immigration account, with the facility to track the progress of their applications, just as we can do now, if we apply online for car registration.
There will be fewer visa types and application processes will be simplified so it will be a win-win situation for the customer.
Attracting migrants
This fits with the Government’s focus on attracting migrants who will bring the economic benefits to New Zealand – skilled workers, business people, investors, academics, entertainers and students.
The changes to the immigration family policies announced in May this year are another way in which we can help attract and retain skilled migrants.
We want to ensure that the focus remains on giving priority to migrants who can make a real contribution to New Zealand.
There is now a two-tier process for the parents of New Zealand citizens and residents who want to migrate here.
Applications from parents who have higher income sponsors, or who bring a guaranteed income or funds, will be processed faster than other applications.
As a result, many skilled migrants who have residence here can sponsor their parents and receive a quicker decision with less red tape.
Boosting investment
Our Business Investor Scheme is another example of attracting the right migrants. The Scheme, revamped in 2009, has so far attracted more than $900 million in potential investment capital. Attracting more business migrants who have the commercial nous and global networks to help New Zealand businesses, helps to grow the economy and create jobs.
The Government strongly believes that immigration helps to build a stronger economy and create jobs by encouraging innovation, deepening our links with international markets and providing the skills and capital New Zealand needs for growth.
Innovative approach
We must ensure that we are innovative in addressing the fall in the number of migrants coming here because of the global economic slowdown.
Application volumes dropped by 4% in 2009-2010 and a further 2.1% in 2010-2011. But these are forecast to recover in the next few years and rise by an average of 3.3% over the next three years across all visa types.
Unfortunately, INZ had to increase visa fees recently, because the drop in application volumes resulted in less income than expected to cover fixed costs.
No fee increase is ever welcome, but New Zealand’s fees compare favourably with our main competitors, and IGMS will result in a business model that is more flexible and able to respond to changing application volumes.
Nathan Guy is Immigration Minister of New Zealand. The above is our edited version of his address at the LexisNexis Immigration Law Conference 2012 held at Stamford Plaza Hotel in Auckland on August 9.
