Professional Immigration Services - NZ

29/08/2024

❗️SKILLS REQUIREMENT EASING FOR SOME ROLES ❗️

The Government is creating short-term exemptions to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) skills requirements for a limited number of roles and sectors.

These changes are designed to avoid shortages in specified sectors while long-term AEWV changes are being decided.

The exemptions will be available for:

✅New applicants applying for select meat and seafood processing roles.
✅Some current visa holders renewing their AEWV for work covered under the tourism & hospitality and care workforce sector agreements. Their application must be for the same occupation that they are currently in.

The exemptions will be in place on 8 September 2024.

08/08/2024

❗️MASSIVE IMMIGRATION NEW ZEALAND FEE INCREASES COMING 1 OCTOBER❗️

This morning, INZ announced that it will be increasing its fees for most visa applications on 1 October this year. Residence applications will be significantly affected, with costs increasing by over $2,000 in most categories.

Notable increases:
- Skilled Residence (including Skilled Migrant Category, Green List, etc.) - Increasing from $4,290 to $6,450
- Family (Partnership) Category - Increasing from $2,750 to $5,360
- International student visa - Increasing from $375 to $750
- Post-study work visa - Increasing from $700 to $1,670
- Partner of New Zealander work visa - Increasing from $860 to $1,630
- Accredited employer work visa - Increasing from $750 to $1,540

See the full table of changes here:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/documents/media/immigration-fee-and-levy-table-rates-from-1-october-2024.pdf

Avoid these fee increases and lodge your applications before 1 October!

11/04/2023

❗️NEW HEALTH ROLES ADDED TO GREEN LIST❗️

The New Zealand Government is adding 32 new health sector roles to the Green List and will move ALL Green List health roles to the Straight to Residence pathway.

This change means that many people will suddenly be eligible to apply for residence immediately via the Green List. Straight to Residence means that they don't have to wait to apply, as long as they have a job offer for one of the listed roles.

The roles being added to the Green List are spread across the entire health system and are considered critical and nationally important. The new roles also cover specialisations within those fields. The list includes roles in social services, education, and the justice sector that support the delivery of health services in New Zealand.

Read more about the changes below 👇

Thirty-two new health roles have been added to the Green List and all health roles on the Green List will be moved to the Straight to Residence pathway.

23/02/2023

03/02/2023

❗️WORKING HOLIDAY SCHEMES REOPENING FOR 2023❗️

The 2023 reopening dates for capped Working Holiday Schemes have now been confirmed.

Once each scheme opens, applications will remain open until the quota is filled. Once filled, the scheme will close until 2024.

Work is underway to implement changes to the Spain and Vietnam schemes. Opening dates for these schemes will be made available on the Immigration New Zealand website once they are confirmed.

26/10/2022

‼️ NEWS FOR SMC EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - 9 NOVEMBER SELECTION ‼️

Some positive news for people planning to submit a Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest (EOI) before 9 November...

Immigration New Zealand has changed immigration instructions ahead of the first EOI selection on 9 November 2022.

Changes have been made to allow:

🔘 people submitting an EOI to make a declaration of meeting qualification points and English language requirements ahead of receiving assessment results from providers, and

🔘 applicants to submit a residence application using an English language test older than two years as evidence of demonstrating that they have an acceptable standard of English.

These changes are effective on and after 25 October 2022.

01/06/2022

The New Zealand Productivity Commission has completed an inquiry into what immigration policy settings would best facilitate New Zealand’s long-term economic growth and promote the wellbeing of New Zealanders.

The Commission's final report "Immigration - Fit for the future" makes 32 findings and 24 recommendations to Government. Their key findings are summarised below for those of you who are interested:

🔳 Immigration is not likely to be the solution nor the cause of the productivity challenges facing Aotearoa New Zealand.

🔳 The relationship between productivity and immigration requires a balance of trade-offs between government objectives, and a consideration of short‑run and long‑run impacts.

🔳 Immigration has played an important part in New Zealand’s economic development.

🔳 On average, immigration is not driving down wages nor displacing local workers.

🔳 The use of Labour Market Tests, Skill Shortage Lists and tying migrants to employers can suppress wages and productivity.

🔳 The supply of infrastructure is less responsive to population growth now than in the past.

Points 3, 4 and 5 above are particularly interesting because they suggest that what the Government is currently trying to achieve with their 'Immigration Rebalance' may do more harm to New Zealand's economy than good. To give an example, I am particularly concerned about the impact of the new Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme on the hospitality sector. How will restaurants that rely on hiring overseas chefs (think Indian, Thai, Chinese restaurants, etc.) possibly fill all of their vacancies now that every chef has to hold at least a Level 4 cooking qualification in order to get a work visa? Many of the best chefs may have 20+ years' cooking experience, but no qualifications - and now employers won't be able to hire those people. I know of many restaurants that are already struggling to find suitable staff with the border being closed, and Immigration New Zealand's recent policy decisions (timed for the border reopening) will likely only make things harder for them.

https://www.productivity.govt.nz/inquiries/immigration-settings/?fbclid=IwAR2h6crLwIEs-7umMeK8cF7e1R9MybznOR62U9FX-PBF0Itk10aHvutjqms

18/05/2022

Upcoming changes that you may have missed. 👇

11/05/2022

!!! BREAKING NEWS !!!

THE NEW ZEALAND BORDER WILL FULLY REOPEN FROM 1 AUGUST 2022.