Migration 5

Migration 5 (M5, formerly the Five Country Conference on migration)[1][2] is a conference of the immigration authorities of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.[3][4] The five countries work together to "enhance the integrity, security and efficiency of their immigration and border services" including the sharing of certain overseas visa application centres.[5][6]

In 2009, the Five Country Conference agreed to a data-sharing protocol which facilitates the sharing of the biometric data of up to 3000 people per year in order to assist with asylum applications.[7][8][9][10] The data-sharing among M5 members subsequently expanded to also cover the personal data of any traveller, visitor or migrant, across 35 items of information including an applicant’s family members, medical history and travel records.[11] A Radio New Zealand investigation found that up to 8 million checks for such personal data happen among M5 members each year, with no M5-wide restrictions on data retention.[11][12][13]

The respective authorities are:

* Australia: Department of Home Affairs[14][15]
* Canada: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency[16]
* New Zealand: Immigration New Zealand[17]
* United Kingdom: Home Office[18]
* United States: Department of Homeland Security[19][20]

## See also

[edit]

* Anglosphere
* Border Five
* CANZUK
* Five Eyes
* Five Nations Passport Group

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Briefing: Information on trade and international relationships in the immigration portfolio" (PDF). mbie.govt.nz. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
2. ^ Government of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada (July 11, 2018). "Canada Gazette, Part 2, Volume 152, Number 14: Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations". gazette.gc.ca.
3. ^ "UK BORDER AGENCY: Report of a PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT conducted by the UK Border Agency in relation to the HIGH VALUE DATA SHARING PROTOCOL amongst the immigration authorities of the FIVE COUNTRY CONFERENCE" (PDF).
4. ^ Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (December 17, 2019). "IRCC Deputy Minister Transition Binder 2019 – Key International Stakeholders". www.canada.ca.
5. ^ "Five Country Conference visa application centre opens in Singapore". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
6. ^ "First of its kind Visa Application Centre for Five Countries Conference (5CC) launched in Singapore" (PDF).
7. ^ "UK Five Countries Conference High Value Data Sharing Protocol Database - a Freedom of Information request to Home Office". WhatDoTheyKnow. April 24, 2016.
8. ^ "Biometric data-sharing process (Five Country Conference data-sharing process)" (PDF). Home Office. 2016-10-03. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
9. ^ "Five Country Joint Enrollment and Information-Sharing Project (FCC)". Department of Homeland Security. August 18, 2015.
10. ^ "Five Country Conference (FCC) data sharing statistics 2018/2019 financial year" (PDF).
11. ^ a b "The truth about the shadowy Migration 5". NZ Herald. 2024-10-14. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
12. ^ "The story behind Migration5". RNZ. June 25, 2024.
13. ^ "Oversight should be added to address 'cloak of secrecy' over Migration 5, opposition MPs say". RNZ. June 19, 2024.
14. ^ "Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the United States of America for the Sharing of Visa and Immigration Information" (PDF).
15. ^ Government of Canada, Global Affairs Canada (9 August 2021). "Canada is expanding its biometrics program". www.canadainternational.gc.ca.
16. ^ Canada, Service (April 28, 2014). "Ministers Blaney and Alexander open the Five Country Conference on migration and security". www.canada.ca.
17. ^ "International cooperation". Immigration New Zealand.
18. ^ "Five Country Conference - a Freedom of Information request to Home Office". WhatDoTheyKnow. July 26, 2016.
19. ^ "USCIS Asylum Division (October 18, 2012) Fact Sheet: Federal Regulation Protecting the Confidentiality of Asylum Applicants" (PDF).
20. ^ "Five Country Conference and UK & US new security data sharing agreement. - a Freedom of Information request to Home Office". WhatDoTheyKnow. December 25, 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website[dead link]
* Five Country Conference Archived 2016-09-13 at the Wayback Machine from Statewatch
* About 5CCW - Five Country Conference Watch
* From Insularity to Exteriority: How the Anglosphere is Shaping Global Governance – Centre for International Policy Studies

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