Asylum Seekers

Asylum Seekers or “convention” refugees
Asylum seekers make their way to New Zealand independently, seek international protection, and claim refugee status on arrival or after having been in the country for a period of time.
Asylum seekers:
• may be detained if they pose a risk to national security or if there are doubts as to their identities or risks of them absconding. Detention may be either at an open detention centre or sometimes in prison, while applications for asylum are processed. They may also be released on conditions to the community;
• are entitled to receive protection in New Zealand during the legal process of proving the validity of their case;
• may be granted a six-monthly renewable work permit and can receive an emergency unemployment benefit but are unable to access a number of social services;
• may receive legal aid based on a decision by the Legal Services Agency (LSA);
• do not have guaranteed access to adult education;
• have been entitled to education and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) funding for the children since 2003;