These reports detail findings from the annual information match between Ministry of Social Development (MSD) benefit and Department of Labour (the Department) immigration data. The purpose of the study is to determine the extent of benefit receipt by migrants.
Due to the diverse objectives of immigration policy, benefit receipt by different migrant streams can be quite different. For example, benefit receipt by skilled migrants is extremely low, whereas it is higher for those entering New Zealand for humanitarian reasons. Some of the key findings regarding the benefit receipt of migrants are outlined below.