English test to cut Asian migrants

By VERNON SMALL deputy political editor

The English test migrants must pass to get into New Zealand has been made tougher.

The move is expected to slash the number of newcomers from China and other North Asian countries in favour of people from countries where English is widely spoken.

The main change lifts the required English level for those seeking entry in the "general skills" category from 5 to 6.5 on the internationally recognised test.

Officials estimate this will reduce the number of people who would qualify by 9000 a year.

The new policy took effect from midnight.

The new level means immigrants will be expected to be able to speak and read English well enough to study at university.

Previously, applicants needed enough English to handle secondary school study.

Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel said the result would be a cut in the number coming from countries such as China, and a smaller reduction in numbers from India and South Africa.

"Anywhere where there is a non-English-speaking background there will be an effect."

She said it was a "pro-settlement" not an anti-Asian move. About 80 per cent of those who qualified yesterday would still qualify today.

The changes were described as "meaningless" by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, who has campaigned against immigration.

He said Ms Dalziel had not dealt with the "widespread fraud and forgery" in English-language tests, which she had admitted could not be policed.

National's immigration spokesman, Murray McCully, said the rushed announcement showed signs of Government panic.

He called for changes in the family and humanitarian categories, which account for about one-third of all migrants and were unaffected by yesterday's revamp.

Ms Dalziel has also made major changes for business migrants.

The level of English competence rises from 4 to 5 and the level for secondary applicants - spouses and adult children - is set at 5.

"People cannot get by in New Zealand with a level of 4," she said.

Four is defined as a limited user, five is a modest level of English and 6.5 is considered a competent to good user of English.

No estimate had been made of how many would miss out as a result of the business category changes.

But Ms Dalziel said she did not intend to reduce the overall number of migrants coming into the country, set at about 50,000 a year.

She has asked officials to review the current 30 points required to qualify as a migrant, and said she expected the points total would drop in December.

"I believe those points are too high. It means we are missing out on people, for example tradespeople, who can't get to 30 points."

She denied the changes had been made in response to the political heat generated by Mr Peters' attacks on immigration policy and the number of migrants coming from Asia. "These changes are specifically designed to address the employability and settlement prospects of migrants."

For the first time an English-language test will also apply to long-term business visa applicants.

Ms Dalziel said the announcement had been brought forward because of an evaluation of the 1999 immigration policy, made public on Sunday.

That identified significant flaws in the business migration system, including the long-term business visa category, which was being used to avoid the English-language test.

"That means there have been people who have been buying small businesses who have no ability to communicate with their customers in the English language."

Applicants would no longer be able to change the business plan they used to get into the country without clearing the change with the Immigration Service.

"We know that there have been people who have not even begun working on the business plan that they have presented ... but set up a completely different business.

"This really was a mechanism to get around the rules because they did not qualify for residence under other categories."

Evidence that many long-term business visa holders were absent from the country at any one time has prompted a tightening of the multiple-entry visa rules.

They will be issued for nine months, against three years previously. Further permits will be available if steps have been taken to set up a business and money required has been transferred.

Job search visas applicants will need to have a 6.5 level of English and be in an occupation in short supply.

Further reading
Feature: Immigration