Deport serious offenders. Anyone on a residence visa who is convicted of a crime with a 10 year or more maximum sentence is deported.
No brainer.
Have skill categories expire each year
I think there is merit in regularly reviewing skill categories for skilled work visas. But an annual review will just mean needing to employ more public servants to do meaningless work. Some skill categories have had shortages for well over a decade, and will not be changing anytime soon.
A five year welfare stand down for residence visa holders
No brainer.
A $6 a day infrastructure surcharge on temporary work visas
Wow. ACT wants a new tax. This tax would be $2,190 a year or $10,950 for a five year work visa. This will probably lead to employers having to pay to cover this, so will make businesses less profitable, and increase prices.
Stronger English language requirements
Yep.
A dedicated overstayer enforcement unit
We have 20,980 overstayers in NZ. The acceptable level should be zero. Good policy.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
I think there is merit in regularly reviewing skill categories for skilled work visas. But an annual review will just mean needing to employ more public servants to do meaningless work. Some skill categories have had shortages for well over a decade, and will not be changing anytime soon.
A five year welfare stand down for residence visa holders
No brainer.
A $6 a day infrastructure surcharge on temporary work visas
Wow. ACT wants a new tax. This tax would be $2,190 a year or $10,950 for a five year work visa. This will probably lead to employers having to pay to cover this, so will make businesses less profitable, and increase prices.
Stronger English language requirements
Yep.
A dedicated overstayer enforcement unit
We have 20,980 overstayers in NZ. The acceptable level should be zero. Good policy.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
11 comments:
It should be anyone on a residence visa convicted of any offense that carries a term of imprisonment should be deported and if you are here on a residence visa you shouldn't be eligible for discharges without conviction if you're guilty. If someone visits you at your home and they assault you or steal your things, you won't let them stay, so why should we let those people stay in our country?
Also there should be no welfare at all for non-citizens. Non-citizens should get welfare from their own countries and if that means going back, so be it. Same, if Maori reckon they have their own sovereignty, they should pay for their own welfare as well.
It's about time politicians started having respect for ordinary hard working New Zealanders. Americans have a policy of America first, while we put New Zealanders last.
Hmm, isn’t ACT in government? Three years and all they did is add another ministry that does nothing and make school lunches bad again. I don’t get this “policy” announcement. If you’re in government you should be making legislation, not issuing press releases.
How about the immigrant applying for the working visa pay the $6/ day up front; before they arrive in the country. Then this would not be a burden on the employer. Or the employer deducts this from the employees wages.
An excellent review to ACT immigration policy
with only two policy announcements receiving suggestions for improvement, is very positive election policy by ACT.
Seymour is focused on press releases while the country falls.
In answer to yet another "Anonymous" on May 14 at 08:03: I can only conclude that you are being deliberately deceptive or are totally ignorant of the facts that (1) That a minor party in Parliament is not in a position to unilaterally pass legislation and (2) Of the immense amount of hard work and results achieved by all ACT MPs in this term of government.
The ACT team work tirelessly, without adequate recognition, to make New Zealand a better place in which to live.
Vic I think you mean the ACT party is tirelessly working to issue press releases and take away employee protections. That’s all I’ve seen them do, besides wasting taxpayer money on a bill that they had agreed with their coalition partners would not be signed into law. Oh, and blocking legislation that would make housing more affordable in Auckland - that was a good one!
If ACT can’t pass legislation, Vic, why bother have them in government? To make press releases? You can’t have it both ways, my friend.
At least Labour passed forward thinking legislation. ACT revoked it.
Anon @ 3.08pm: You say Act blocked legislation that would make housing more affordable in Auckland. According to my numbers, Auckland's average house price peaked in December 2021 at $1.28m and, as at April 2026, stood at $1.131m. So, after 4 1/2 years, Auckland's average house price is ~11.5% below its peak! Seems like the market is doing Act's job...who would have thunk it?
Anon @ 4.01pm: I doubt very much that Vic is your friend (apologies for putting words in your mouth, Vic) but please feel free to tell us more about this "forward thinking legislation" that Act revoked, and we can then debate that claim on its merits.
I see nothing wrong with ACT press releases. It is election year, after all. Seymour is a strong, masculine leader and NZ is lucky to have him, and his announcements.
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