Our areas of responsibility

The Department of Labour has responsibilities in all the areas of government relating to employment, immigration, workplace safety and health, accident compensation, international labour issues, and labourmarket analyis and research.

Sustainable Employment
Helping build the capacity of communities and assisting them to identify and achieve new opportunities for ongoing employment and community involvement. Providing advice to the Government on employment policies and services, and information on skills and work.

Employment relations
Providing information and support to employers, employees, unions and workplaces on employment relations matters. Helping employers and employees to improve productivity and resolve employment problems in workplaces. Supporting the operation of employment relations legislation; enforcing employment standards, and providing policy advice to government.

Immigration
Helping to create a more highly-skilled New Zealand workforce by managing immigration and marketing New Zealand as a destination for work and study. Maintaining the security of New Zealand's borders. Issuing visas and permits for people coming here to live, work, study or holiday. Managing New Zealand's refugee and settlement programme, enforcing immigration legislation and providing immigration policy advice.

Workplace Safety and Health
Working to reduce work-related death and injury rates, and support employers and employees in productive work. Providing information and guidance to workplaces on occupational safety and health issues and managing hazardous substances. Enforcing health and safety legislation; researching workplace health and safety matters, and providing policy advice to government.

International labour issues
Managing the Government's relationship with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other international bodies such as the OECD. Co-ordinating international labour advice and policy; managing the labour component of bilateral trade negotiations; and providing an international perspective on domestic policy issues.

Labour market analysis, research and policy advice
Providing analysis on labour market trends and the economic outlook; evaluating the effectiveness of employment policies and programmes; undertaking research on labour market, skills and work issues; and providing policy advice to the Government on the labour market impacts of a wide range of policies.

Accident compensation
Providing purchase, policy, and monitoring advice to the Government on accident prevention, compensation and rehabilitation issues; and monitoring accident insurance claims made against contracts entered into in 1999/2000.