There were not enough flights available to meet the government’s deportation targets. File photo.
Photograph: 123rf.com

A lack of flights is blamed for the number of deportations falling short of government targets.

Fewer than 800 people were deported last fiscal year; this was about half the targeted figure of 1,500 deportations.

Government figures show the number of people being deported from New Zealand fell during the pandemic but has not returned to normal since borders reopened.

The total of 784 people was only two more than those deported the previous year and includes people who left voluntarily.

Monthly deportation figures from July to September show 239 people were deported; Around 100 of these are implemented and paid for by Immigration Compliance and Investigation, part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

In MBIE’s annual report, it was stated that buying flight tickets is more difficult and more expensive.

“The Department’s ability to take enforcement action against immigrants who breach visa conditions, including removing individuals subject to deportation from New Zealand, has been impacted by airlines and flight availability. Flight and seat availability has been significantly reduced, resulting in higher prices. reduced both department-directed deportations and self-imposed and voluntary deportations.”

Separate figures from Immigration New Zealand show 1,900 people were deported in 2018-19, the last year before the pandemic.

These figures include people who violated their visas, overstayed in the country or committed crimes.

The report showed that two-thirds of deportations were voluntary or carried out at the immigrants’ own will after a decision to deport them had been made.

The Immigration and Protection Tribunal’s latest annual report for 2022/23 showed more than half of the people who will be deported if the decision is overturned on appeal. The report noted that the pandemic is still affecting the number of deportation appeals.

“Humanitarian appeals have been affected by the long period of border closures during the pandemic, which has led to people staying here much longer than they normally would. Such long stays result in more people developing strong reasons for doing so. Relationships, children and family “The number of remaining cases in New Zealand, including those in New Zealand, is likely to decrease as time goes on.”

In a court case heard in September this year, a man who had overstayed his visa for 37 years won an appeal against deportation. The 62-year-old man said that he realized that he was not a resident only when the company he worked for carried out an audit of employees in 2022.

“He came here in 1987 to see his then-girlfriend, but never left after his three-month visitor visa expired,” the IPT decision said. “He got married, divorced, got back together and had children. Here he had a long-term job with a major New Zealand company for at least 13 years.” He noted that he supported and cared for his sister and that he would face difficulties if he were deported to Fiji.