New Kiwis and New Americans: Perspectives on Migration and Settlement
in New Zealand and the United States
Prepared by Ann Morse | July 2007 with funding from the sponsors
of the Ian Axford (New Zealand) Fellowships in Public Policy
Ann Morse is Program Director of the National
Conference of State Legislatures' (NCSL) Immigrant Policy Project
in Washington, DC. She has directed the work of NCSL's Immigrant
Policy Project since its inception in 1992, conducting legislative
research and public policy analysis at the federal, state and local
government levels.
During Ann's Ian Axford Fellowship in New Zealand she was based
at the Department of Labour, where she examined the role of state
and local government in the resettlement and integration of immigrants
and refugees into the social, economic and civic life of their adopted
communities; and compared the public policy approaches to admitting
foreign workers and supporting effective settlement of New Kiwis
and New Americans.
Abstract
In 2007 New Zealand and the United States are undertaking the largest
review and reform of their immigration system in 20 years, attempting
to strike the balance between national security in a post-9/11 world with
increasing global economic competitiveness, while maintaining support
for the reunification of families and the protection of refugees. In general,
New Zealand and the United States take similar approaches to immigration:
each country embraces immigration as part of our national heritage and
continues to welcome newcomers to advance the nation’s social, economic
and civic life. Immigrants are a significant and growing proportion of
the population in each country, currently 12% in the United States and
23% in New Zealand.
The first section of this paper provides a brief introduction to each
country’s immigration systems and demographics, with a particular
focus on employment-based immigration, the points system, and the rise
of the transitional migrant. The second section focuses on each country’s
approach to supporting effective integration or settlement of New Kiwis
and New Americans in their adopted countries. Both the United States and
New Zealand have well-developed, and well-respected, refugee resettlement
programmes with knowledge that can be applied to integration policies
for a broader immigrant population. This section highlights some promising
practices in migration and settlement policy. Finally, the third chapter
contains some observations and considerations for policy-makers in this
challenging arena.
Table
of contents
Acknowledgments
Executive Summary
Preface
Introduction
1. Migration in a nutshell
2. Settlement and immigration policies
Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendix 1: Snapshot of New Zealand Immigration 2005/2006
Appendix 2: Snapshot of US Immigration 2005
Appendix 3: New Zealand skilled migrant category in a nutshell
Appendix 4: Proposed points system US Senate immigration bill
axford2007_morse.pdf (391kb)
