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Refugees and asylum seekers in New Zealand
New Zealand is a party to both the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol
relating to the Status of Refugees. Annually the New Zealand government
accepts a UNHCR mandated refugee quota of 750 places. Additionally New
Zealand accepts people who seek asylum as refugees, assessed in
accordance with the criteria for refugee status set out in article 1 A
(2) of the 1951 Convention. Refugee status applicants who are declined
have the right of appeal to the Refugee Status Appeals Authority (RSAA).
Refugees accepted within the refugee quota and those who gain refugee
status as asylum seekers have the status of New Zealand residents.
In total over 1,500 refugees are awarded residency annually in New
Zealand through the mandated UNHCR Quota Refugee programme or the
gaining of refugee status as asylum seekers. Most refugees and asylum
seekers arrive and stay in Auckland.
The needs of refugees differ
from other new migrants. Refugees
have fled from situations of conflict and human right abuses. This has
important implications for the provision of
health care.
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Refugees |
Migrants |
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- Take the quickest way out often
without knowing their destination. |
- Choose their destination country
and find out all they can before they leave. |
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- Leave hastily, often to escape
from harm. |
- Plan their move. |
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- Leave secretly, unable to let
loved ones know where they are going. |
- Pack their belongings and choose
what to take and what to leave behind. |
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- Afraid to keep in touch with
family or friends in their home country. |
- Say goodbye to family and friends. |
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- May not be able to go home if
things do not work out in the resettlement country. |
- Leave a forwarding address. |
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- May be able to go home if things
do not work out in the destination country. |
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