National believes the responsibility for the Karel Sroubek residency saga lies squarely on the shoulders of the Immigration Minister.

Sroubek's convictions in the Czech Republic were included in the file given to Iain Lees-Galloway - but he did not consider them when making his initial decision.

National's Immigration spokesperson Michael Woodhouse told Kate Hawkesby Lees-Galloway clearly has very poor judgement.

"It's been very disappointing that he continues to hide behind the thin veil of criticism of his officials or the process or anybody but himself."

"There's only one person to blame for this debacle and it's the minister himself. He doesn't have a radar for the cases coming across his desk and he has got to go."

The Prime Minister said she won't fire the minister, however, Woodhouse says he can't stay in the job. 

"The difficulty he has now is every fantasy story about fear of what will happen if a deported offender goes home will be presented to the minister every single time."

"The fact is he can't continue in the job of Minister of Immigration and I think the first thing that will happen in the next reshuffle is that he will find himself out or with another portfolio."

He said Lees-Galloway has been fumbling through the entire residency process and is in a "muddle".

"He said there was new information abut convictions in the Czech Republic, when it was pointed out to him by media that that was information hiding in plain sight in the summary of the deportation file, he then equivocated and said, 'oh that's new, new convictions' but he wouldn't reveal what that was."

Woodhouse said the chance of Sroubek being deported as soon as he is released from prison are slim.

"The lawyers will be preparing judicial review proceedings as we speak. He also has the right of appeal to the Immigration Protection Tribunal but I don't think he will invoke until earlier court proceedings are completed, that could take years." 

He said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is being too soft on Lees-Galloway and isn't making the "hard calls".

"Leadership is about making the hard calls. She obviously regards Iain Lees-Galloway very highly, for reasons which allude most of us, but the fact is if this is the measure of the judgement quality of this minister then the quality is very low in this government."

"She either makes the hard call about sacking him or she suffers the consequences of everybody thinking her Cabinet isn't up to scratch."