Climate Migrants in the Pacific and New Zealand

Is New Zealand's immigration set up to take in climate migrants from the Pacific? According to a recent immigration news, in a word—no. It's hardly built for it.

If you’re a Pacific Islander facing the grim reality of climate change swallowing up your home, the road to New Zealand isn’t just tough—it’s nearly impossible. Currently, you’ll need a job offer, be under 45, pass a health test, and have the good fortune to win a ballot. That’s not a humanitarian pathway. It’s a bureaucratic hoop-jumping exercise that prioritises employment over genuine need.

World Vision’s Olivia Yates hit the nail on the head when she said our immigration system is designed to cater more to economic migrants than to those escaping the consequences of rising seas. The Pacific Access Category? Sure, it offers 1,400 visas annually, but good luck meeting the language requirements and shelling out the $1385 visa application fee. For families on the brink, this system isn’t providing refuge; it’s pushing them into debt. Some are losing life savings just to try and start a new life here.

What makes it even worse is New Zealand’s involvement in creating the Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility. The government helped draft it, yet when it comes to action, it’s all talk. The framework is non-binding. In other words, it’s not worth the paper it’s printed on if our own immigration policies don’t align.

A decade on, and little has changed. One in ten people from places like Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Nauru have already packed up due to climate disasters, but New Zealand remains woefully unprepared to offer a realistic option for those who need to leave. For the likes of Ioane Teitiota, whose case went to the UN, being a climate refugee still isn’t recognised under international law.

So, is New Zealand stepping up? Not really. We’ve got the research, we’ve got the framework, but we’re not seeing real action. Just more red tape for people who’ve lost enough already.