Immigration Minister David Cunliffe has cautiously welcomed a further fall in the number of overstayers illegally in New Zealand.

"Department of Labour figures estimate there were 17,400 overstayers at 31 October 2006, compared with 19,100 six months earlier," Mr Cunliffe said.

"This drop of 1700 marks the continuation of a steady decline that has been apparent since 2004, when the number of overstayers was approximately 21,000."

Countries with significant estimated decreases are Tonga, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Brazil. Those with no significant decrease are Samoa, China, Great Britain, Malaysia, Tuvalu, Philippines and Czech Republic.

The four countries with the highest overstayer numbers are Samoa, China, Tonga and Great Britain.

"This continuing welcome trend is due to a number of measures taken by immigration officials and by overstayers themselves.

"For example, immigration officers are mounting rigorous compliance operations where they seek overstayers living and working in the community. More overstayers detected by such operations are choosing to leave New Zealand voluntarily.

"Another reason is that immigration officers based at our posts overseas are asking harder questions of some people seeking visas to come to New Zealand, meaning fewer people coming here who are likely to overstay.

"I am advised that visitors are also taking note of warnings about the penalties for overstaying, which include being barred from New Zealand for five years if they are caught and removed."

Note: The figures are an estimate based on a sample of overstayers identified by the department's records. There is a sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 per cent, caused by such issues as when dual citizens use different passports for departure and arrival, the crew of ships arriving by air and leaving by boat, visitors who die in New Zealand, and the departure of people exempt from holding a permit.

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