Aust, migration higher than Samoan—statistics

Press, 8 June 1989, Page 18

Aust, migration higher than Samoan—statistics

PA Auckland More Australians migrate to New Zealand than Western Samoans, according to Statistics Department and immigration service data obtained by the “Auckland Star.” Many more Australiaborn people are living in New Zealand than Samoaborn people. The Government wants to reduce the number of Western Samoans coming to New Zealand, citing high unemployment as a main reason. According to the Labour Department’s immigration service, 11,197 Western Samoans were granted residence visas or permits in the last five years. In the same period, 19,156 Australians migrated to New Zealand, according to the Statistics Department. Australians do not need

visas or permits to come to New Zealand, whereas Samoans do. The department also said 47,208 Australians were permanent residents of New Zealand as at the 1986 census, compared with 33,854 Western Samoans. The only year more Western Samoans were granted residence than there were Australian migrants was in the latest 12-month period, for which details are available, to March 31, 1989. During that year, 3432 Australians migrated to New Zealand, and 4082 Western Samoans were issued residence visas or permits. Many of the 4082 Samoans would have already been in New Zealand and fallen under a number of special immigration schemes run a year ago, which gave residence to many people

who would not otherwise have qualified and to overstayers who registered under a regularise-; tion programme. In previous years, West; ern Samoan immigration was much closer to the 1100-person annual quota; which allows up to that many migrants as long as they have guaranteed jobs. In the year to March 31, 1988, 1753 Western Samoans were issued residence visas or permits and there were 3976 Australian immigrants. For the year to March 31, 1987, the comparable figures were 2096 Samoans and 4132 Australians. In the 1986 year the figures were 1560 Samoans and 3535 Australians, and in 1985, 1706 Samoans and 4081 Australians. British people continue to be the biggest category of immigrants.