27 Oct 2015

Drop in number of deported criminals

6:08 pm on 27 October 2015

New figures show deportations of convicted criminals have dropped in the past five years.

no caption

Photo: 123RF

The largest number of deportations in that period were to Samoa, with 78, followed by China, Tonga, Fiji and Britain.

Almost 100 people were deported in 2010 after serving a prison sentence.

However late that year the Immigration Act came into effect and the number has fallen gradually since, standing at 48 so far this year.

Two Australians were among them, with 20 being deported back across the Tasman in the past five years.

The latest figures from the Australian Border Force show 195 New Zealanders were being detained pending deportation at the end of September, a slight increase from 184 the previous month.

The Law Society said Immigration New Zealand has been slow to issue deportation liability notices to visa holders who were convicted of a crime, but that was now changing.