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Immigration Minister Michael Wood says increasing the quota could be considered in future.

“Clearly it's been a very difficult and contentious issue in Australia,” Wood said. [Full politics coverage](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics) “The second thing that has really stuck out to me in the role is that immigration really does play a very critical role at the heart of our economy and our society.” [slow process](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/130023188/after-five-months-32-refugees-denied-by-australia-set-to-relocate-to-new-zealand?rm=a&cx_rm-ctrl=true) and it's one that we have to very carefully work through.” [four people](https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/131024090/resettlement-of-nauru-refugees-too-slow-amnesty-international-says) were due to arrive in Aotearoa last week, urging New Zealand to fast-track resettlement. Wood said the process was slow as people needed to go through the UN refugee agency, it was also a voluntary system “whereby the people themselves make their active and conscious decision that they want to settle in New Zealand, and there are a number of things that take some time to work through”. [First refugees arrive in New Zealand as part of years-long offer to Australia](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/130552235/first-refugees-arrive-in-new-zealand-as-part-of-yearslong-offer-to-australia?rm=a) [achieved for the first time ever](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/immigration/128132348/new-zealand-fails-to-meet-refugee-quota-for-third-year-in-a-row-short-by-1000). [Refugee arrivals: What the almost decade-long offer means and why it matters](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/130554097/refugee-arrivals-what-the-almost-decadelong-offer-means-and-why-it-matters?rm=a) The first refugees to come to New Zealand after spending years in offshore Australian detention camps arrived in November, as part of an offer that was on the table for almost a decade. [Resettlement of Nauru refugees too slow, Amnesty International says](https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/131024090/resettlement-of-nauru-refugees-too-slow-amnesty-international-says?rm=a) [received criticism for being too low](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/immigration/300336263/new-zealand-has-one-of-the-lowest-refugee-rates-in-the-world--and-room-for-more).