Information
Information in languages other than English
This page has resources in a range of languages including videos about COVID-19. It also has information about Connecting Now, the telephone interpreting service which has replaced Ezispeak.
Read more and access resources »
Our Languages – Tō Tātou Reo
This information, collected from the 2001 Census, 2006 Census and 2013 Census, provides detail about the languages spoken in New Zealand. Find out more about what languages are spoken, where, and by whom.
Ethnic Communities in New Zealand
We have created the Ethnic Communities’ Data Dashboard in partnership with Statistics New Zealand. It is an interactive tool that allows you access to information on ethnic communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. You can use it to create comprehensive information on ethnicity, religion, and language – at national and regional levels.
Ethnic Communities in New Zealand»
Guides and How-tos
Intercultural Capability E-learning
This introductory eLearning programme is aimed at increasing people's cultural understanding to better interact or communicate with people from different backgrounds.
Language Celebration Guidelines
The Heritage and Community Language Celebration Guidelines are a resource designed to support communities to celebrate and maintain their heritage languages, giving practical advice on the process of organising a language celebration.
Making a Submission to government
We have produced guidelines for how to make a submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee. Submissions are sometimes sought from the general public when changes are being made to policies or to legislation. A submission is a way to present your views.
Information on making a submission »
Ethnicity Matters – a guide to working with ethnic communities
This is a guide intended to help public sector organisations work with and respond to the needs of ethnic communities.
Ethnic diversity in the workplace
This set of resources are aimed at increasing competence related to recruiting and managing staff from ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds.
Diversity in the workplace information »
Employment rights and responsibilities
All workers have the same employment rights in New Zealand, no matter what their visa status. This page provides information on employment rights and how to get help as an employee.
Official Information Act request
The Official Information Act allows New Zealanders to make requests for information relating to our work, including the advice we provide to our Minister.
Research and Reports
COVID-19 Vaccine Update Fund Final Report
The Ethnic Communities COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Fund was a partnership between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Ethnic Communities. The NZD$2-million fund was established to “assist ethnic communities in achieving equitable uptake and access to the COVID-19 Vaccine.”
This report closes the COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Fund, which ran from 1 October 2021 till 30 June 2022. It summarises all phases of securing funding from the system, administration of the fund, and the results achieved. The report also highlights the partnership role our ethnic community organisations played in Aotearoa’s COVID-19 Vaccination response.
Read the COVID-19 Vaccine Update Fund Final Report
Former Refugees, Recent Migrants and Ethnic Communities Employment Action Plan
The Former Refugees, Recent Migrants and Ethnic Communities Employment Action Plan is a resource with information, analysis and policy options aimed at improving labour market outcomes for former refugees, recent migrants, and ethnic communities.
Digital inclusion user insights – Former refugees and migrants with English as a second language
The purpose of this research, which is published by the Department of Internal Affairs in partnership with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, is to understand the lived experience of one of the most often digitally excluded groups: former refugees and marginalised migrants with English as a second language. The report includes key findings and research recommendations (not government policy) for government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to consider in order to improve digital inclusion for former refugees and marginalised migrants in New Zealand.
Connecting with Faith Communities and Interfaith Groups report - November 2020
This report is a record of the discussions from a series of hui that we conducted with New Zealand's Faith and Interfaith groups. It outlines the key themes that emerged and identifies chances for our office, community organisatons, and members of our communities to address the challenges, issues, and opportunities that were raised.
Conversations with Aotearoa New Zealand’s Muslim Communities
This report presents key themes from a series of conversations the Office of Ethnic Communities conducted with New Zealand’s Muslim communities in the wake of the 15 March 2019 terror attacks, and identifies opportunities for addressing them.
Caste Away? Unfolding the Maori Indian
The research, conducted by Dr Edwina Pio in association with the Office of Ethnic Affairs, explores the experiences of those from a mixed Māori/Indian background.
Trailblazers – inspiring stories from migrant women entrepreneurs
Trailblazers is a collection of inspirational stories of first generation, migrant women business entrepreneurs in New Zealand.
Chinese Poll Tax
The Office of Ethnic Communities has assembled information about the discriminatory history of the Chinese Poll Tax in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and led a consultation process to find a form of reconciliation appropriate to the descendants of Poll Tax payers.
Corporate Publications
Release of Ministerial decision-making documents
From time to time, we will publish papers the Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities has taken to cabinet.
Statement of intent and annual report
We are delighted to announce the release of our first Ministry for Ethnic Community’s Annual Report for 2021/2022. It lays out who we are and what we do and summarises a year of formation, challenges and achievements.
The Ministry for Ethnic Communities operates as a Departmental Agency within Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) as the host agency.
Link to the full 2021/2022 DIA Annual Report: 2021/22 Pūrongo Ā Tau Annual Report (dia.govt.nz)
Link to the Ministry for Ethnic Communities section: Ministry for Ethnic Communities section of the 2021/22 Pūrongo Ā Tau Annual Report
Office of Ethnic Communities
Information about the Office of Ethnic Communities is the Department of Internal Affairs’ Statement of Intent and the Annual Report.
Briefings to Incoming Ministers
Information provided to incoming Ministers about the Ethnic Communities portfolio are on the Briefings to Incoming Ministers page of the Department of Internal Affairs website.
A year in review - 2019/2020
You can find our Year in Review for 2019/20. It explains more about our role, the key work we carried out in the last financial year and, information on the communities we serve.