UPDATED 9.03am A population expert says Winston Peter's idea of drastically decreasing the number of immigrants into the country is a misguided and cliched answer to economic problems.

The New Zealand First leader believes only 15,000 immigrants should be allowed in the country per year and every one of them should be interviewed at the border to see if they comply with New Zealand views.

LISTEN ABOVE: Pro-vice Chancellor at Massey University Paul Spoonley speaks to Mike Hosking

That would cut the number of migrants from 124,000 to 15,000 per year.

Pro-vice Chancellor at Massey University Paul Spoonley said they already do have a "very good" system of interviewing and vetting immigrants , with New Zealand's model being adopted by Canada and Australia.

Mr Spoonley said the idea of cutting immigrants because some groups of people have different beliefs about women is not a solution.

"The number of immigrants who fall into that category is, in my experience, very very small. Let's have a debate about that - but is that the answer? No I don't think it is."

Mr Spoonley said if this was implemented there would be questions as to what would happen if you cut returning students, international students and skilled migrants that positively affect the economy.

He told Mike Hosking many of the immigrants are coming here under the skilled visa category, which is directly related to gaps in the New Zealand job market.

"Immigration does equal jobs, demand and population and economic growth.

"About 25 per cent of those 124,000 are returning New Zealanders so you can't do anything about those. If you're going to cut the next 25 per cent, which are the international students, that's big business for us."

He said cutting immigrants is not the solution to the housing crisis and this is Mr Peters trying to give a simple answer to a complex problem.

"I think this is a default position which NZ First and Winston come back to whenever we're seeing a problem in the economy."