A Niue opposition MP says new immigration legislation, which was aimed at encouraging more people to settle on the island, will fail.
Terry Coe says the new Immigration Act has onerous elements, requiring people to stay for ten years before they can apply for permanent residence status, instead of the three years he had advocated.
There are also restrictions on gaining temporary residency, with visitors required to have a local sponsor.
Mr Coe says these people can also be deported without recourse to the courts.
He also says it's wrong that Cabinet has the right to grant permanent residence under certain circumstances.
Mr Coe says the new laws will hinder immigration.
"We have talked about this before. We need the population to increase and we need the people to bring skills and or money, but preferably skills because we are so short of skilled people here on the island."
Terry Coe.
