The Government is resuming bringing larger refugee numbers back into New Zealand now there's more room in MIQ facilities but with reduced numbers on the promised annual quota.
Aid agencies say we need to do more and on World Refugee Day, one Syrian man here agrees.
Jihad Al-Laham fled the war in Syria in 2016 with his wife and children for a better life in New Zealand.
"When they told me I get to go here, I was happy - very happy," he says.
It was a chance at peace that wasn't an option in his homeland.
"It's war, you know, it's war, everything is bad there."
His siblings are still stuck in Syria living a life tougher than most Kiwis could even imagine.
"No food, no work, nothing you know, they just want to finish that life and die if they can, it's too hard a life," Al-Laham says.
On World Refugee Day, Amnesty International says New Zealand isn't doing enough.
"We're urging the Government not to fall behind because of COVID, we have millions of desperate people all around the world and New Zealand could absolutely be doing more," executive director Meg de Ronde says.
While the Government has doubled New Zealand's quota to 1500 per year, COVID halted the programme. Now it's back but we're accepting far fewer - just 1000.
"We're really happy that we'll be able to resume the resettlement programme but that's balanced with the other small numbers of people that we're able to bring into the country as well," Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi says.
"It's great it's started, however we are behind on the numbers that we planned for this year and that essentially means people's lives," adds Red Cross general manager of migration Rachel O'Connor.
There are now 80 million people displaced around the world, a number that's doubled over the past ten years. And Al-Laham knows as well as anyone what it's like to be given another chance.
"It's a very beautiful life," he says.
Unfortunately, New Zealand is ranked only 95th in the world for offering that opportunity.
