Asylum claims surge as minister seeks to tighten rules

Asylum claims shot up nearly 400 percent last year, not all of which were genuine.
New Zealand’s asylum policy offers some claimants an open work visa. Official advice to Minister for Immigration Erica Stanford said the rise in asylum claims is likely due, in part, to some claimants seeking to use this visa as a way to access New Zealand’s public service and job market. Officials have warned any solutions Stanford implements to dissuade disingenuous claimants cannot come at the expense of New Zealand’s obligations to genuine asylum seekers.