15 March 2023
OIA 23-630
Jens M
[FYI request #21742 email] Dear Jens
Thank you for your request of 6 February 2023 to my office requesting the following
information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
"I understand that Minister of Immigration has participated in a reference group called
Immigration Reference Group (IRG). May I ask are there any similar formal or
informal group you or your officials have been set up? If so please provide me with
the name.
Please provide copies of any communication, emails memos your office had with
NZAIP and NZAMI from January 2022 to now."
By ‘similar group’, we interpreted your question as ‘group of licensed Immigration Advisers’.
In early 2021, an Investor Group was set up meeting with Immigration New Zealand officials
every six weeks with the focus on the Migrant Investor visa category. Membership consists
of representatives from Lane Neave Immigration, Malcolm Pacific Immigration, Pathways to
New Zealand and Woburn International.
Documents identified within scope of your request regarding communications with the
Immigration Industry Steering Group, New Zealand Association of Immigration Professionals
and the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment are attached to this letter.
Some information has been withheld under section 9(2)(a) of the Act to protect the privacy of
natural persons, which have been noted in the documents. Information deemed out of scope
of your request has also been excluded.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision,
in accordance with section 28(3) of the Act. Information about how to make a complaint is
available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely,
Hon Michael Wood
Minister of Immigration