As Immigration New Zealand (INZ) we play a pivotal role in supporting refugees to begin their life in New Zealand, and to move into the community.

World Refugee Day is a chance for countries around the globe to honour refugees and acknowledge the brave journey they have taken after fleeing their home country to escape conflict or persecution.

This year’s theme is ‘Hope away from Home. A world where refugees are always included.’ To honour that theme, INZ held an event at Te Āhuru Mōwai o Aotearoa — Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre in Auckland on Saturday 17 June, where we also welcomed the latest intake of refugees under the Refugee Quota Programme.

We held a pōwhiri (a Māori welcoming ceremony) to formally welcome the refugees into New Zealand, and onto Te Āhuru Mōwai o Aotearoa where they will participate in the 5-week reception programme. The programme helps to prepare quota refugees to live and work in the community and includes sessions on:

• Taha Māori (Māori perspectives)
• Living in a multicultural society
• New Zealand Police and the law
• Moving into the community
• Health (including parenting and healthy families)
• English language learning, and
• Preparing working-age adults for employment and children for school.

During the reception programme a Settlement Plan is developed with each quota refugee family outlining the types of services they will be connected with to support their successful settlement in their community once they complete the resettlement program.

New Zealand accepts 1,500 refugees each year under the Refugee Quota Programme, and this year will be the first year that we will resettle the full quota of 1,500 people, a 50% increase on the previous quota.

Included in those 1,500 people we will resettle this year are those who are part of the New Zealand/Australia Resettlement Arrangement. This was a resettlement arrangement agreed to by the New Zealand and Australian Governments and will see us resettle 450 refugees over 3 years under the Refugee Quota Programme.

More information:

New Zealand Refugee Quota Programme

Minister PR: New Zealand welcomes 1.500 refugee quote for the first time

Photos of the INZ pōwhiri welcoming refugees