Immigration (Fiscal Sustainability and System Integrity) Amendment Bill
The Minister of Immigration Erica Stanford introduced the Immigration (Fiscal Sustainability and System Integrity) Amendment Bill to Parliament in April 2025. On 26 June 2025, the Bill had its first reading and has now been referred to the Education and Workforce Select Committee.
The Bill makes ten targeted amendments to the Immigration Act 2009 (Act). The Hon Erica Stanford said that New Zealand’s immigration system “needs to be smart, responsive and flexible to keep pace with the changing geopolitical context.”
Proposed changes
The proposed amendments include:
- Extending or clarifying deportation liability to being a consequence of criminal offending, not just where a conviction results.
- Expanding the immigration levy payer base to include people/groups that can already be charged in the system (for example, fee payers), employers of temporary visa holders and providers of education to fee paying international students.
- Creating a new levy making power to expand the purposes levy revenue can be used for.
- Create the power to cancel a residence class visa held by an individual who poses a threat or risk to security but cannot currently be deported (because there is a credible chance they would be subject to torture).
- Make it an offence to charge premiums for employment, irrespective of whether a worker has started employment.
- Require immigration officers to obtain a judicial warrant prior to conducting out-of-hours compliance activity.
- Update Warrant of Commitment application requirements for asylum seekers.
- Amend the definition of a mass arrival group to capture all possible ways a mass arrival group may enter the country.
- Create more flexibility for the immigration system to respond to unusual circumstances (with safeguards).
Some of the proposed changes, if implemented, may have significant implications, particularly for migrants who commit a criminal offence, even after being granted residence. This will then impact their employers.
Duncan Cotterill’s immigration team will continue to monitor the progress of this Bill and provide further updates.
Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and not intended as a substitute for specific professional advice on any matter and should not be relied upon for that purpose.
