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Continuing conflicts, political oppression and economic factors have led to a dramatic increase in irregular migration regionally and around the world.
People smuggling (also known as migrant smuggling) is where someone pays a smuggler - often within a criminal network - to help them cross a border illegally. People smuggling exposes migrants to great risks while generating huge profits for the smugglers involved.
The United Nations defines Trafficking in Persons (also known as people trafficking) as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a person by deceptive, coercive or other improper means for the purpose of exploiting that person. It is a global crime, committed at the expense of victims who are robbed of their dignity and freedom. Trafficking in Persons doesn’t have to take place across borders, it can also occur within a country. It doesn’t happen just to migrants; citizens and residents can be victims too.
New Zealand works with the countries from where people who are smuggled and trafficked originate from, as well as the countries that they transit through. We participate in regional arrangements to combat these activities, and we're party to the Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime.
The Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime
This convention, also known as the Palermo Convention, tackles three areas of transnational organised crime: people smuggling, human trafficking and arms dealing. It has a protocol for each – the Palermo Protocols – and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is its custodian. New Zealand is one of 183 parties to the convention, and is party to each of the three protocols.
Read the Palermo Convention(external link)
The Bali Process
New Zealand is a member of the Bali Process, a regional forum that addresses addresses people smuggling and trafficking in persons by strengthening Asia Pacific cooperation to counter these activities. It does this by:
- developing and sharing information on the patterns and trends of irregular migration
- increasing cooperation between governments, immigration, border protection and law enforcement agencies
- working with governments to develop legislation and support victims
- addressing the push and pull factors driving irregular migration.
The Bali Process was established in 2002 and is co-chaired by Australia and Indonesia. Membership of the Process consists of 49 state and non-state actors. New Zealand is an active member of the Bali Process Steering Group and the Ad Hoc Group, which meet in response to pertinent events and report back to all Process members.
New Zealand currently co-chairs (with Viet Nam) the Working Group on the Disruption of Criminal People Smuggling and Trafficking Networks. This groups focuses on practical action to disrupt transnational criminal networks involved in people smuggling and trafficking in persons.
We also provide funding to the UN Action for Cooperation Against Trafficking in Persons (UN-ACT), which was established in 2014 to coordinate efforts to combat human trafficking in the Greater Mekong sub-region (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the Chinese province of Yunnan).
Find out more about the UN Action for Cooperation Against Trafficking(external link)
Find out more about the Bali Process and its work(external link)
What we're doing at home
Mass arrivals
A mass arrival is an event of more than 30 people, who do not have permission to enter New Zealand, arriving on board one craft or more at the same time.
While New Zealand was once considered too isolated to be a seriously at risk of being a destination for people smuggling, the possibility of a mass arrival of migrants entering New Zealand unlawfully is a growing concern. A successful mass arrival would put significant pressure on New Zealand’s infrastructure and resources.
New Zealand aims to prevent a mass arrival through a strategy built on:
- proportional response, cooperation and partnerships
- fulfilment of international human rights and humanitarian obligations
- the need for a proactive, flexible and evolving approach.
Read more on the Immigration website(external link)
Plan of Action against Forced Labour, People Trafficking and Slavery
New Zealand’s response to people trafficking is set out in the Plan of Action against Forced Labour, People Trafficking and Slavery, 2020–2025.
The Plan is organised across three pillars: Prevention, Protection and Enforcement. These pillars are underpinned by a partnership approach across government agencies, business, academia, and civil society. A wide range of agencies are responsible for the government’s efforts to address forced labour, people trafficking and slavery, and their responsibilities are captured in the Plan of Action.
Read about the NZ Plan of Action(external link)
Maritime Security Strategy
The Maritime Security Strategy(external link) provides direction for the maritime security sector that contributes to the advancement of New Zealand’s national security through a common approach, coordinated investment decisions and effective resource prioritisation.
It aligns the maritime security sector to the Government’s national security, foreign policy and climate change priorities and ensures that maximum benefit is derived from the Government’s significant investments in maritime security capability.
The Maritime Security Strategy, which was refreshed in 2024, ensures New Zealand has an efficient and effective maritime security sector that is able to continue to secure New Zealand’s marine economic, cultural and environmental interests for future generations.
Transnational Organised Crime Strategy
New Zealand’s Transnational Organised Crime Strategy 2020–2025 brings together government agencies to tackle organised crime by setting out a framework for greater coordination and prioritisation of government responses to transnational organised crime across a wide range of crime types.
It focuses on the sophisticated global network of organised criminal groups which target New Zealand, driving the supply of drugs and other illicit commodities.
The Strategy seeks to strengthen capability, improve understanding and raise awareness across relevant government agencies and other partners (including the private sector and local communities) in order to unify, prevent, detect and dismantle organised crime.