Immigration New Zealand recent figures on deportation list reported by Fairfax Media today 10th shows that of the 767 deportees last year, 251 were sent home to the Pacific Islands.
Deportees are ordered to leave the country when they are either criminals or overstayers.
In August 2012 the top three Pacific Islands on the deportation list include 80 Samoans, 51 Tongans and 46 Fijians.
“Immigration Act 2009 came into force in November 2010 and the term deportation now describes all processes for requiring a foreign national who has no right to remain in New Zealand to leave.”
Under the Immigration Act 1987, “A deportation occurs if a residence permit holder ….is convicted of an offence…”
The change made to the Immigration Act saw a dramatic increase in the number of people deported by more than 2000 percent where as in 1987 to 2010 only 118 people were removed from the country.
Immigration’s Branch Manager for Compliance and Operations, Dean Blakemore told Fairfax Media that although there was evidently a rise in the number of deportees recently there was also change to the policy and the way how Immigration takes action on any deportation order.
In his statement to Fairfax, Blakemore made it clear that when overstayers on deportation list are identified the department contact them by phone call or send text message or letter followed by a search for their where-about if they do not respond.
Overstayers that are to be deported have an opportunity for “voluntary departures” in which the department work together with them so that they can pay their own fares and all necessary costs before they leave.
These deportees are treated differently from those that failed to cooperate and deemed the highest priority for deportation
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