20115 (2026). Ricardo Menéndez March to the Minister of Immigration

20115 (2026). Ricardo Menéndez March to the Minister of Immigration: Further to Written Question 6242 (2026), what reviews, if any, has Immigration New Zealand undertaken, of whether ethnicity, nationality, language ability, or migrant-associated workplaces may influence compliance officers’ assessments of suspicious behaviour?

Hon Erica Stanford: I am advised that Immigration New Zealand is always alert to any concerns regarding bias in their assessments and exercise of compliance powers. There is agency-wide training on how to identify and avoid unconscious bias, and concerning behaviour is promptly addressed through individual training and development plans. I am further advised that the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employed commissioned a review of out of hours compliance activity in 2023 (the Heron Review). It considered (among other things), the role of ethnicity and nationality in this activity, and practice changes occurred based on its findings.