1 July 2013

Govt confirms commitment to Refugee Quota

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse has announced decisions on the size and regional balance for the upcoming three-year Refugee Quota Programme that begins today.

“I’m pleased to confirm that New Zealand will continue to resettle 750 Quota refugees each year, over the next three years,” says Mr Woodhouse.

“This retains the longstanding commitment of successive New Zealand governments to meet the needs of some of the world’s most vulnerable people, in what are tight economic times.

“The 750 annual Quota, places New Zealand sixth equal in the world for accepting refugees referred by the UNHCR.

“The Government spends around $58 million on resettling Quota refugees each year, so this is a serious commitment. It also comes on the back of new funding in Budget 2013 to support a $15 million rebuild of the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre by the end of 2014.”

Mr Woodhouse says that 40 per cent of the 750 places will be allocated to refugees from the Asia-Pacific region, and 40 per cent to refugees from the rest of the world – namely Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.

The remaining twenty per cent – 150 places – will be allocated to refugees resettled in New Zealand as part of our agreement with Australia from 1 July 2014, as part of a regional approach to irregular migration.

“The new Refugee Quota Programme represents a valued contribution from New Zealand to the resettlement of vulnerable refugees, and seeks to maximise our support of vulnerable people in the Asia-Pacific region.”

ends

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