NZ Ministry of Health Web Page
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Refugee Health

www.moh.govt.nz/refugeehealth

Who is a refugee

A refugee is: any person who, owing to a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his/her nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country.

How do refugees enter New Zealand?

There are three ways in which refugees arrive in New Zealand.
  1. Under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) mandated quota system (‘quota refugees’)
    The quota for UNHCR-mandated refugees to enter New Zealand is set annually by Cabinet. Currently the quota is set at 750 per year. Quota refugees may arrive under the following categories:
    - Women at Risk
    - Protection
    - Medical/disability.
    On arrival, quota refugees spend a six-week orientation period in the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre.
  2. As part of New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS) humanitarian migrant intake or family reunification (‘family reunification refugees’)
    Those entering the country under this category are relatives of refugees already living here. They enter under the general immigration provisions that take into account humanitarian issues such as family reunification (Immigration Act 1987). The number of family reunification refugees is roughly equivalent to the size of the refugee quota.
  3. As spontaneous refugees (‘asylum seekers’)
    Asylum seekers usually seek refugee status on arrival at our borders, or when their temporary visa or permit expires. Claims for refugee status are confirmed or rejected by NZIS depending on whether their circumstances meet the criteria set out in the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Those who are successful are then eligible to apply for permanent residence and later, New Zealand citizenship.
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Refugees – where do they come from

In the last two decades refugees have come Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria, Kuwait, Tunisia, Algeria, China, Sri Lanka, Bosnia, former Yugoslavia, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, the Sudan, Ethiopia, Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Brazzaville and Sierra Leone.

Publications

Eligibility for publicly-funded health services in New Zealand for refugees and applicant refugees
Individuals with refugee status in New Zealand are eligible for publicly-funded health services.

Refugee Health Care - A Handbook for Health Professionals (2001)
The Refugee Health Care Handbook has been developed for general practitioners and other health workers who care for refugee people. The book not only provides insights into the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of the main refugee groups in New Zealand but also provides guidance to health professionals on conducting culturally sensitive consultations and effective use of interpreters.

Mental Health in New Zealand from a Public Heath Perspective has a chapter on refugees and immigrants (PDF).
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Useful links

European Council on Refugees and Exiles (www.ecre.org)
ECRE is an umbrella organisation of 72 refugee-assisting agencies in 28 countries working towards fair and humane policies for the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees.

The Health of asylum seekers screened by Auckland Public Health in 1999 and 2000 (www.nzma.org.nz)
Approximately 1500 to 1800 applications for refugee status are made to the New Zealand Immigration Service each year. Approximately one third of these asylum seekers receive health screening from Auckland Public Health. We report here key findings from this screening programme for the period 1999 to 2000. 

Interventions for Refugee Children in New Zealand Schools: Models, Methods, and Best Practice (educationcounts.edcentre.govt.nz)
This review looks at different models, methods and best practice for intervening with refugee children in New Zealand schools. It examines the literature on refugee trauma, loss and grief and second language concerns, resilience, issues of migration, school and teacher effects, and conceptual and policy issues. It also discusses a range of best practices for refugee children within schools.

New Zealand Immigration Service (www.immigration.govt.nz)
The New Zealand Immigration Service provides information about applying for a visa or work permit for New Zealand, as well as information about living in New Zealand.

New Zealand Refugee Law (www.refugee.org.nz)
This website provides access to a comprehensive range of material on refugee law in New Zealand.

Refugee Services (www.refugeehealth.govt.nz)
The Refugee Health Website offers up to date information on refugee health issues in New Zealand and internationally.

Refugees as Survivors in New Zealand (www.aucklandras.org.nz)
RASNZ is the NGO providing culturally and linguistically diverse mental health and preventive health services for all UN Refugees entering New Zealand. 

Refugee Council of New Zealand (www.rc.org.nz)
The Refugee Council of New Zealand (RCNZ) is a national organisation whose purpose is to provide advice, information and assistance to asylum-seekers and refugees in New Zealand; promote a strategic response to the needs of refugees and asylum seekers; and to campaign to ensure that New Zealand meets its legal and humanitarian obligations under the 1951 United Nations Convention on Refugees.

Refugee Services (formerly RMS Refugee Resettlement) (www.refugeeservices.org.nz)
Refugee Services is Aotearoa-New Zealand’s leading refugee resettlement agency. Refugee Services is a non-profit, non-government organisation registered under the Charities Act 2005. For more than 30 years we have assisted in the successful resettlement of over 40,000 former refugees and their families.

World Health Organization (www.who.int)
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system.

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Page last updated: 3 July 2009
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