The government has just announced plans to strengthen New Zealand’s immigration laws to make it easier to deport residents convicted of serious criminal offences. Under current law, permanent residents of up to ten years standing who have been convicted of criminal offences can be deported after release from prison. However, the term of their deportation depends on the nature and seriousness of their offending. The government’s new plans significantly broaden the scope of the existing policy. It is planning to increase the time frame to residents of twenty years standing and also includes historic crimes, committed before the person came to New Zealand,
