Migrant and refugee health overview

Key points about migrant and refugee health

Aotearoa New Zealand is one of many countries that offers a new home to refugees and migrants.
Whether you or your parents have come to New Zealand as a refugee or migrant, you have a right to access the health services you need to live well.
It is important to seek help if you have health needs but also to maintain good health and wellbeing.
This page provides information about available health services.

Aotearoa New Zealand is one of many countries that offers a new home to refugees and migrants.

Migrants are people or families who make the decision to move based on choice and free will. They choose to move to another country to improve their circumstances such as their education and word opportunities and life in general. They can decide where they will migrate to.
Refugees on the other hand, have no choice. They are forced to leave their homes due to fears of violence and persecution. Refugees are individuals or families whose safety is at risk and their own governments can't protect them from dangers. As a result they need to seek safety in another country.
Aotearoa New Zealand is also home to asylum seekers. An asylum seeker is an individual who has had to leave their country to seek protection from persecution and serious human rights violations in another country. They're not legally recognized as a refugee and usually wait to receive a decision on their asylum claim.
Read about the different ways migrants and refugees can come to Aotearoa New Zealand.(external link)

Whether you or your parents have come to New Zealand as a migrant, refugee or asylum seeker, you have a right to access the health services you need to live well.

Culturally appropriate and safe health care may include services that can understand your needs, language, migration history, religious beliefs, cultural values and health beliefs. It is important to seek help if you have health needs.

In Aotearoa New Zealand there are a range of health services available for you. They may be similar or quite different from ones you have used before coming to New Zealand.

It's good to enrol with a local general practice as you can get:

Free or cheaper fees when you see your local doctor (GP).
Access to free interpreter services, if required.
Reminders for checks, immunisations and other additional services such as health coach and health improvement practitioner services.
Referral for free tuberculosis (TB) screening for refugees.

To enrol, find a family doctor (GP) in your area.(external link)

Image credit: Canva

Getting information in a language that you're comfortable with is really important. Read more about interpreter services and how to access professional interpreter services for your health care needs. Many services are free.

Here you can find a range of videos related to migrant and refugee health.

Video: Refugee Sponsorship programme Introduction

This video provides an introduction to the New Zealand Refugee Sponsorship programme. It was prepared from the original, produced by the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (GRSI), which consists of the Government of Canada, the UNHCR, the Refugee Hub at the University of Ottawa, the Open Society Foundations, the Giustra Foundation, and the Shapiro Foundation.

(Immigration New Zealand, NZ, 2021)

Video: Conversations with my immigrant parents

A podcast and video series(external link) where parents and children learn about each other and confront those complex issues that are deepened by differences in generation and culture (Re:, NZ, 2020)

Video: A journalist speaking about the mental health impact of reporting on Islamophobia

Open the video(external link) (Re:, NZ, 2020)

Use our translations section to find health information in some of the languages used by migrants and refugees.

A broad range of organisations provide support and services for new migrants and refugees in Aotearoa New Zealand. Find out more on the migrant and refugee support page.

To find a refugee and migrant service within your area, use the location filter under the map (mobile view) or at the bottom of the search results (computer view).

Source: HealthPoint services directory used with permission.

Migrant and refugee health topics
New Zealand health system
Migrant and refugee support
Supporting refugees in your community
Where to go when you need health care
How to have a warm, dry home so you can stay well