The International Migration, Settlement, and Employment Dynamics (IMSED) Research Team is responsible for the Department of Labour’s research on, and evaluation of, immigration and settlement issues facing New Zealand in a globally competitive environment. IMSED – At a Glance PDF [304KB]
The IMSED research strategy has been developed to provide a solid strategic evidence base for international migration, settlement, and employment dynamics. It provides the information base essential to: attract the migrants New Zealand wants, and to support their successful settlement in New Zealand. IMSED Strategy – At a Glance PDF [400KB]
An overview of our work programme and published reports can be found through the links below.
What’s new?
This summary describes and assesses the first season (2007/2008) of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Policy. Overall, the first year of the RSE policy was successful. Most importantly, employers had a reliable workforce. Most workers returned home with savings which will benefit their families and communities. Other success indicators included a reasonable return rate of workers and negligible number of overstayers. There are some implementation issues that still need to be worked through. They include recruitment lead-in time, accommodation and dispute resolution for workers.
The Longitudinal Immigration Survey: New Zealand (LisNZ) is a study designed to produce detailed information on the settlement outcomes of migrants over time. The LisNZ is interviewing the same cohort of migrants at six, 18, and 36 months after taking up permanent residence in New Zealand.
New Faces, New Futures: New Zealand presents findings from Wave 1 (six months post residence), providing a comprehensive overview of early settlement experiences. Wave 1 included interviews with 7,137 migrants aged 16 years and over who were approved for permanent residence in New Zealand. Along with detailed descriptive information on the profiles of the migrants six months into residence, the report focuses on their:
- skills and resources
- labour market activities and economic integration
- social integration and settlement.
The results from this survey lend strong support to immigration selection policies that value migrants with the language, skills, and qualifications that complement the needs of the New Zealand labour force.
Fast Facts
A series of Fast Fact sheets summarising the findings on topics covered by New Faces, New Futures: New Zealand is available below. Fast Facts provide quick and easy snapshots that highlight findings from the Wave 1 descriptive report.
Fast Facts 1: Demographic Characteristics of Permanent Migrants PDF [1543KB]
Fast Facts 2: Language Skills of Permanent Migrants PDF [1536KB]
Fast Facts 3: Previous Experience in New Zealand PDF [1535KB]
Fast Facts 4: Motives and Processes of Migration PDF [1542KB]
Fast Facts 5: Skills, Qualifications, and Work Experience of Permanent Migrants PDF [1567KB]
Fast Facts 6: Employment Outcomes for Permanent Migrants PDF [1563KB]
Fast Facts 7: Income and Assets of Permanent Migrants PDF [1513KB]
Fast Facts 8: Living Arrangements of Permanent Migrants PDF [1572KB]
Fast Facts 9: Settlement PDF [1553KB]
Fast Facts 10: Satisfaction with Life in New Zealand PDF [1588KB]
Fast Facts 11: Social Relationships and Networks PDF [1577KB]
Fast Facts 12: Perceptions of Discrimination and Safety PDF [1559KB]
This annotated bibliography, undertaken by Natasha McMillan and Alison Gray, brings together New Zealand and international literature on the long-term settlement of refugees and provides an insight into the factors that facilitate or act as barriers to integration. This review is the first publication from the three-year ‘Quota Refugees Ten Years On: Perspectives on Integration, Community and Identity’ research programme. This report is summarised in our factsheet Long-Term Settlement of Refugees: An Annotated Bibliography of New Zealand and International Literature PDF [224KB].
The Migration Trends and Outlook report is the eighth in an annual series and provides an overview of immigration trends for the 2007/08 financial year. The report is used by the Department to inform immigration policy, marketing strategies and settlement services, and is a useful resource to government departments and the wider public. This report is summarised in our factsheet Migration Trends and Outlook 2007/08 – At a Glance PDF [256KB].
This report provides information for the OECD’s 2009 publication ‘International Migration Outlook’. This annual publication is an output of the OECD’s Continuous Reporting System on Migration (known by its French acronym SOPEMI), now in its thirty-first year.
The New Zealand report utilises data from existing sources and provides a useful overview of key findings and policy developments for the 2007/08 financial year. It outlines migration movements including refugee flows and estimated overstayer numbers, characteristics of the migrant population including participation in the labour market, changes to immigration policy; and settlement and support measures available to migrants.