The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming New Zealand First’s policy to introduce a 10-year welfare stand-down period for visa holders, with an Official Information Act request showing that this policy would save at least $19.19 million in Auckland Metro alone.
New Zealand First’s policy would make all non-citizens ineligible for jobseeker, accommodation supplement, or any other benefits during their first 10 years in New Zealand.
The OIA request shows that:
- Over four years, the Ministry of Social Development granted $1,270,574.06 in Special Needs Grants to visa-holder categories in Auckland Metro, excluding protected persons and refugee categories.
- A further 1,008 Emergency Benefit grants to visa-holder categories had a combined gross weekly rate at the point of grant of $344,584.61, equivalent to $17,918,399.72 per year if annualised.
- MSD says the total amount paid through Emergency Benefits is not centrally held and would require officials to manually review individual client files.
- The request does not include permanent residents.
Taxpayers’ Union Investigative Lead, Rhys Hurley, said:
“A 10-year stand-down would protect taxpayers from becoming the backstop for immigration settings that bring people into the country before they can support themselves.”
“In Auckland Metro alone, taxpayers have funded at least $1.27 million in Special Needs Grants to visa holders, and that is only the part of the bill MSD can centrally identify.”
“The Emergency Benefit grants recorded for visa-holder categories add a further $17.9 million in Auckland Metro. Spread across the whole country and across every available benefit, the true cost could be many millions more.”
