NEC to Lead NZ Immigration’s ‘Biometric Capability Upgrade’

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) says that its Biometric Capability Upgrade (BCU) did not require Cabinet approval, an assertion aimed at evading any misbegotten scrutiny.

The project, estimated at $35 million, was approved by delegated ‘joint ministers’ in July of 2023. INZ confirmed that if the cost had exceeded this figure, Cabinet-level approval would have been necessary.

The BCU will improve the processing speed for confirming the identities of tourists, migrants, and refugees through better photograph matching. It is scheduled to go live in October 2024, funded by visa fees, which may increase as part of government cost-cutting measures.

INZ emphasized that the BCU will involve technology companies NEC, Argonaut, and Datacom, enhancing the system’s ability to detect fraud and trafficking. The project includes ongoing support and maintenance within its approved budget, pending final testing and governance approval.

Michael Alp, INZ’s General Manager of Risk and Border, stated that the upgrade will allow applications “to progress through the identity stage of processing faster,” thus increasing overall efficiency.

The BCU will also integrate with the Secure Real Time Platform (SRTP), enabling biometric data sharing with the Migration 5 (M5) nations. Argonaut and Datacom are involved in this collaboration, with NEC taking the lead for the BCU once operational.

The M5 nations refer to a coalition of five countries—Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States—that collaborate on immigration and border security matters.

The SRTP allows each M5 country to host its version of the system, facilitating data exchange. However, the United Kingdom has not yet connected its SRTP to New Zealand’s system, necessitating manual data sharing.

Despite the technological advancements, there are concerns about data privacy and security, especially for refugees and asylum seekers. Critics worry that sharing biometric data without transparency could lead to errors or privacy breaches, potentially putting individuals and their families at risk.

Alp addressed these concerns by noting that exceptions to confidentiality under the Immigration Act allow for safe sharing of refugee information. Refugee protection officers have the discretion to handle biometric information carefully, and claimants can refuse to provide this data if they have legitimate concerns.

“While nearly all adult claimants provide their biometric information, in rare cases where there may be concerns about sharing information with M5 partners for any reason, officers can elect not to require this or to only match with some partner states,” he said, adding that claimants themselves have the option to decline to provide biometric data if they can offer an explanation for refusing to do so.

Source: RNZ

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July 24, 2024 – by Cass Kennedy