Refugee And Protection Officer

New Zealand Government; Auckland; On-site; NZD 66,000 - 89,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

KiwiSaver

Wellness benefits

Permanent full-time position

Job summary

MBIE invites applications for a Refugee and Protection Officer (RPO) in the Refugee Status Unit, Auckland. You will interview claimants, assess evidence, and determine refugee or protection status under NZ and international law.

We offer extensive training, a supportive team, and a permanent full-time role with a starting salary of $77,359 plus KiwiSaver and Wellness benefits. The RSU operates within Immigration New Zealand in central Auckland.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with the Refugee Convention, Convention Against Torture, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• Understanding of the Immigration Act 2009 and other relevant international human rights instruments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• A tertiary qualification in a relevant field or equivalent knowledge and experience in refugee status determination.
• Ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance as required.

Responsibilities

• Make decisions on refugee and protection status in accordance with New Zealand and international law.
• Interview claimants, conduct investigations, and analyse information to inform decisions.
• Write quality refugee and protection status determinations.

Skills

Refugee law familiarity

Interviewing & investigations

Policy analysis

Legal writing

Communication skills

Security clearance

Education

Tertiary qualification in a relevant field or equivalent experience in refugee status determination

Job description

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

• Start date 11 January 2027
• Challenging and rewarding career opportunity
• Exciting opportunity to join a fun, supportive and high performing team
• Extensive training and support provided
• Permanent full-time position | Auckland CBD
• Starting salary: $77,359 + KiwiSaver and Wellness benefits

About the Role - Tēnei tūranga: We have a challenging and exciting permanent full-time opportunity within the Refugee Status Unit (RSU) in central Auckland. You will be joining a dedicated team who are passionate about their work. As a Refugee and Protection Officer (RPO) you will be making decisions on refugee and protection status in accordance with New Zealand and international law. This will involve interviewing claimants, conducting investigations, analysing relevant information, and writing quality decisions.

• The RSU plays a key role in upholding New Zealand’s obligations under certain international human rights instruments.
• We are part of the Refugee & Migrant Services Branch of Immigration New Zealand, which manages the Government’s commitments to asylum seekers, quota refugees and recent migrants.
• As an RPO you will utilise your research, analysis, writing and communication skills to make fair and balanced refugee and protected person status determinations.
• You will need to be agile, flexible, organised and able to meet deadlines.
• You will interact with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, as such cultural competence is important.

Ngā pukenga me ngā wheako e hiahiatia ana - Skills and Experience Required

• Familiarity with the Refugee Convention, Convention Against Torture, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• Understanding of the Immigration Act 2009 and other relevant international human rights instruments.
• Knowledge of New Zealand refugee case law, particularly decisions from the Immigration and Protection Tribunal.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• A tertiary qualification in a relevant field or equivalent knowledge and experience in refugee status determination.
• Ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance as required.

About MBIE - Ētahi kōrero mō MBIE:

MBIE's goal is to create a resilient and high-performing economy that delivers real and ongoing quality of life for all New Zealanders. We do this by working with others to create an environment that supports businesses to be more productive and internationally competitive, enables all New Zealanders to participate in the economy through improved job opportunities and by working to ensure quality housing is more affordable. People are at the heart of our mahi, our way of working is guided by our values which shape our behaviours.

• Mahi Tahi – Better Together
• Māia – Bold and brave
• Pae Kahurangi – Build our Future
• Pono Me Te Tika – Own It

Our aspirations are echoed in our Māori identity – Hīkina Whakatutuki – which broadly means ‘lifting to make successful'. MBIE recognises the partnership founded under Te Tiriti o Waitangi between Māori and the Crown and is committed to giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We will do this through enduring, meaningful and effective partnerships with iwi, Māori, other Māori groups/organisations and the Crown, as this is critical to enable economic and social development, both for Māori and for wider Aotearoa New Zealand. We are committed to continuing to partner with iwi in order to find new sustainable solutions to address long standing systemic and cross-cutting issues facing Māori and wider Aotearoa New Zealand and we are also committed to identifying opportunities for iwi to lead and creating an enabling environment for iwi to leverage these opportunities. E mōhio ana a Hīkina Whakatutuki i puea ake te kōtuinga I waenganui i a ngāi Māori me te Karauna i Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ā, kei te whai ia ki te whakaū ake i Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Mā te whai kiko o ngā kōtuinga ahunga roa o ngā iwi, o ngāi Māori, me ētahi atu rōpū Māori ki te Karauna, ka tutuki tēnei. He āhuatanga nui tēnei e āhei ai ngā mahi whanaketanga ā-ohanga, ā-pāpori hoki ki a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui. E whai tonu ana mātou ki te kōtui atu ki ngā iwi mō te rapu huarahi hou ki te whakaara i ngā kaupapa kua roa nei e tāmi ana i a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui, ā, e whai ana hoki ki te tautohu i ngā āheinga kōkiritanga mā ngā iwi, me te tautoko i ngā iwi kia whai mana ake ai ēnei āheinga.

Applications close on Wednesday 4 November 2026 at 11.59pm.