Is Permanent Residence or Citizenship your ultimate long-term goal in New Zealand? Then you have made the right decision because New Zealand has one of the best quality of life in the world.
Skilled Migrant Residence Visas
Skilled Residence in New Zealand is a complex immigration law matter. Our Licensed Immigration Adviser for New Zealand is an absolute expert in dealing with complex skilled residence matters while representing migrants to process their skilled residence visas in New Zealand.
New Zealand has five different skilled residence categories, as follows:
- Skilled Migrant Category (SMC)
- Green List Tier-1: Straight to Residence
- Green List Tier-2: Work to Residence
- Care Workforce: Work to Residence
- Transport Sector: Work to Residence
As the name suggests, all skilled residence visas require the applicant to either have a ‘current skilled employment’ or hold an ‘offer of skilled employment’ from a New Zealand employer. The assessment of the employment (or employment offer) as being skilled is made on the basis of the level of the ANZSCO occupation nominated and the wage rate.
An immigration officer may undertake a substantial match assessment to determine whether the applicant’s employment or offer of employment is listed at a specific ANZSCO level or in a specific occupation listed in the ANZSCO.
The assessment of a substantial match involves a determination of whether the applicant’s employment is substantially consistent with the ANZSCO occupation (6-digit) level description for that occupation and with the tasks listed at the ANZSCO Unit Group (4-digit) level description for that occupational group, excluding any tasks which are not relevant to the occupation description. To be considered a substantial match to an occupation, the tasks relevant to the ANZSCO occupation description must comprise most of the applicant’s role
To apply for skilled migrant residence visa, the principal applicant must be aged 55 years or younger at the time the application is lodged.
Depending on the skilled migrant residence visa category under which you apply, you must meet the relevant eligibility criteria, such as:
- Median salary threshold requirements
- Annual salary or hourly wage rate
- SMC eligibility points
- Green list requirements
- Current skilled employment, or Offer of skilled employment
- ANZSCO requirements
- Occupational licensing/registration requirements
- NZQA approved Qualification requirements
- Skilled work experience requirements
- English language requirements
- Health & Character requirements
As part of the application assessment process, the immigration officer is expected to do a thorough verification on the current skilled employment (and past skilled work experience) by contacting the employers, and having an interview with the applicant. INZ will also request supporting evidence from the employer or the applicant, as necessary.
Ready to book a consultation with our Licensed Immigration Adviser?
Residence under the Partnership Category
These are granted for the partners/spouses of New Zealand citizens and residents who have been living together in a genuine, stable, and credible partnership for minimum 12 months or longer, and are able to provide substantial evidence in support of their partnership claims. More details are available under the Partnership Visas section.
Residence under the Parent Category
These are granted for the parents of the New Zealand citizens and residents, who can sponsor their parents as an eligible adult child and meet the financial and sponsorship requirements. The visa applicants must meet the eligibility criteria, health and character requirements, and the English language requirements.
One must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), which remains current in the EOI Ballot Pool for 2 years. EOIs are selected randomly from the EOI Ballot Pool four times a year during February, May, August, and November. The annual quota for the EOIs to be selected is currently capped at 2500. Once selected from the EOI Ballot Pool, an Invitation to Apply (ITA) may be issued, allowing the applicant to submit the visa application within four months of the ITA issue date.
Residence under the Business, Entrepreneur, or Investor Categories
These visas are granted for business entrepreneurs or investors who start a business or invest capital in a business investment in New Zealand.
Further details on the Business Residence Visas are available on INZ site.