Pacific Groups Seek Better Support Amid Shifting Migration Rules in Australia and New Zealand

Pacific families view migration as a means to build a future while maintaining ties to home. However, upcoming changes to migration policies in New Zealand and Australia are creating new questions for these communities regarding settlement, family reunion, and a sense of belonging.

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Often by the time they come, they haven’t prepared themselves. The obvious is just like not even wearing the right clothes. As simple as that, right down to the smallest things like organising car seats for cars when they get picked up from the airport, understanding whether or not they can use their driver licence here, and more importantly, bringing the right documentation.

In New Zealand, the government is expected to revise the parent category resident visa. This visa allows migrants to bring their parents for permanent residency. Since its reopening in 2022, the system has operated via a ballot, allocating 2,500 visas annually. Critics argue this lottery-like process leaves thousands of families waiting years to reunite with their parents.

Meanwhile, Pacific Settlement Support Services (PSSS) is expanding its pre-arrival support for Tongan migrants heading to New Zealand. PSSS founder Mandy Siitia emphasized the importance of preparing families before their departure. She noted that many migrants arrive unfamiliar with life in New Zealand, lacking basic knowledge on everything from appropriate clothing to organizing car seats and understanding local driver's license validity.

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Just because we’re Pasifika, we’re immediately labeled as a group of people that need support when we first get here, but not the support that we should be giving, which is settlement support.

Siitia also stressed that Pacific migrants should not be automatically categorized as needing welfare. Instead, she advocates for providing them with the correct information for successful settlement, highlighting that many arrive with existing skills, jobs, and the capacity to contribute. PSSS is collaborating with Siaola to offer pre-migration workshops in Tonga, aiming to equip individuals with practical and cultural insights for their move.

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They come over quite intelligent, they’re already quite skilled, they can speak good English, they can even understand it well.

Across the Tasman Sea, Australia is also moving towards stricter citizenship criteria. These proposed changes include more rigorous English language testing, an extended period before citizenship eligibility, and a greater emphasis on demonstrating adherence to Australian values. Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stated these reforms are intended to foster better integration among migrants.

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We need to assist them in a way, there’s the shift of mindset, the expectation of cultural shock, embrace a learning mindset, accept temporary discomfort, and there’s nothing that is going to be perfect