Fa’amata Laumalili

Samoan born Faamata (Mata) Laumalili migrated to New Zealand with her parents and siblings in the early 1970s, settling in Porirua, Wellington. Mata’s Pacific migration journey was as her parents put it, ‘in search of a better future for the family’. Mata has now made Auckland her home with her husband, children and parents.

Family, hard work, Samoan culture and service to the community are hugely important to Mata. Mata enjoys listening to music and dedicating time to her church to work with the young people and the elderly.

Mata currently works for the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment. She is the Relationship Manager – Pacific Skills for the Migrant Skills Retention team in the Settlement Unit, a service provided by Immigration New Zealand. Mata has previously held senior policy and relationship management roles with central and local government agencies, including Auckland Council, Housing New Zealand, the Ministry of Social Development and the Department of Labour.

Mata finds it interesting that she now works for Immigration New Zealand where she first had contact as a migrant. The primary purpose of her role is to support the settlement and retention of Pacific migrants who enter New Zealand through the Samoan Quota Scheme and the Pacific Access Category. The role also supports employers in key businesses that employ Pacific migrants.