There will be families breathing a sigh of relief as the Parent Resident Visa restarts. The visa had been suspended since 2016 and prolonged by NZ border closures during COVID.
A Parent Residency visa allows you to live in New Zealand permanently if you have a child (sponsor) who is a New Zealand citizen or resident. They must earn enough money to meet the new threshold and agree to sponsor you.
This category is open to parents, grandparents and legal guardians. It allows the successful applicant to travel freely in and out of the country until their travel conditions expire. After these conditions expire, the visa holder must apply for permanent residency or an extension of their visa.
Successful applicants can work and study to support themselves.
Requirements such as 'must be of good health and character' are retained, the same as all other visa categories in NZ.
New Expressions of Interest (EOI) commenced from 12 October 2022. Successful applications will be selected by a random ballot starting in August 2023.
For ten years after the Parent Resident visa is granted, the sponsor must meet the following sponsorship obligations:
There has been an increase in the number of visas available, which has risen from 1000 to 2500. As with the previous system, NZ residents and citizens can sponsor their parents to come to New Zealand.
It now allows two adult siblings, rather than just one adult child and their partner, to sponsor their parents. Joint sponsorship allows the sponsors to pool their income to meet the requirements to get the visa for their parents. However, it does not enable dependant children to be added to this visa.
The income requirements for sponsors have been reduced. A sponsor now must earn 1.5 times the New Zealand median wage rather than twice the median wage. Joint sponsorship requirements (the combination of 2 sponsors) now require twice the median income.
The sponsors can bring up to a limit of six people under this category. However, there is an increase in the income threshold with each additional person brought in, increasing by half the median wage for each joint sponsor or additional parent.
What Happens if You Already Have an EOI?
Existing EOIs, received before 12 October 2022 will be selected in the date order they were received. Selection will start again on 14 November 2022 and continue to choose EOIs every three months after that.
Timeframes for selection and visa processing will be available on the INZ website as they work through processing the visa applications.
All existing EOI’s will be contacted to ensure the information available to INZ is up to date.
The next big step after securing residence is understanding what life will be like for you once you arrive. Of course, many parent residency visa applicants will have already visited our shores on a Visitor Visa and spent time with their children. However, for those who have not previously visited, here are a few things to consider when moving down under.
There are various living expenses to keep in mind for parents applying to live in New Zealand. These include general living costs, like utility bills, groceries, or other expenses for your family.
Living costs can vary from city to city, which is also essential to keep in mind.
New Zealand's public healthcare system is heavily subsidised by the government, making many services free or low-cost for citizens, residents and some visa holders. As a Parent Residency Visa holder, you receive the same benefits as citizens.
Enrolling with your local General Practitioner (GP) is free and easy. However, GPs do charge for a consultation. You're never far from primary health care, with local clinics in every city, town, and suburb.
Prescription charges are heavily subsidised by the taxpayer. If your doctor prescribes beyond approved lists, you may incur higher costs, but that is not true for most prescriptions. Either way, you can use insurance to cover all or part of these modest costs.
If you are faced with an immediately life-threatening illness or accident, you will receive immediate world-class care in the public system. But if faced with an "elective" (that is, not immediately life-threatening) problem, say varicose veins, you may find yourself on a "waiting list" for service in the public system, in which case you may elect to have immediate treatment in a private hospital.
Dentists are not part of the free public health care system. However, children can get free basic dentistry care until they're 18.
Dental care is provided by oral health care practitioners, such as dentists and orthodontists, in private practices. Fees can vary widely, so remember to ask about them when looking for a dentist.
The most common mode of transport in New Zealand is a private vehicle. However, you must have the correct driver's licence to drive a car in New Zealand. New Zealand accepts driving on a foreign license but does enforce a 12-month limit to update your licence to a Kiwi one.
Although much of the country requires your vehicle to get around, public transport is widely available in all cities and towns.
In addition, you can also get around many cities with a bike. Some places are more accommodating for cycling than others, like Christchurch. However, there is usually at least enough infrastructure for bicycles to make them a viable means of transport all around the country.
Accommodation in New Zealand can come in many different forms at a wide price range, depending on location. For parents with residency visas, you are not just limited to renting but may be eligible for purchasing property as well, as typically only NZ Citizens, Resident Visa holders and a small group of other individuals can buy Residential Property.
New Zealand has a mix of housing types, ranging from standalone buildings on a block of land (section) to attached townhouses and apartments. It can take as little as four weeks to go through the purchase process if you're looking to buy.
So once you've found where you want to live and after a parent holding a residency visa places a formal bid, there can be no last-minute offers, which makes buying here a lot less stressful than in some parts of the world.
However, if you are looking to rent, we've listed some information below.
The NZ Parent Retirement visa enables parents to join their adult children in New Zealand. To be eligible, applicants must meet INZ's financial requirements of keeping at least NZ$1 million invested in an acceptable investment in New Zealand for four years.
While allowing migrant parents to live, work and study in New Zealand, it also allows them to apply for permanent residence after four years of keeping their funds invested in New Zealand.
Applying for a New Zealand visa doesn't have to be overwhelming. Reach out to our experienced immigration advisers for advice and guidance on the process.
Our highly experienced licensed Immigration team will take away the stress and worry of navigating the complicated world of New Zealand Immigration. All you need to do is get in touch. Our team is on standby, ready to help.
Our highly experienced licensed Immigration team will take away the stress and worry of navigating the complicated world of New Zealand Immigration. All you need to do is get in touch. Our employer team is on standby, ready to help.
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Today the government announced a pathway to residence for migrant workers who are living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave who are eligible to apply. The second wave can apply from 1 March 2022. The deadline to lodge an application is 31 July 2022 or else they will miss out on this one off opportunity.
Today the government announced a pathway to residence for people living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave eligible to apply. The second wave can apply from 1 March 2022. The deadline to lodge an application is 31 July 2022 or else you miss the boat.
The government has moved the introduction of the new employer accreditation process across to mid-2022. At the same time, the Minister of Immigration announced new work visa rules for migrant workers who are already in New Zealand and working full time.
The government has increased the median wage to $27 per hour from 19 July. Any Skilled Migrant residence application lodged after this date will need to include a skilled job offer that pays at least $27 per hour. For some lower-skilled occupations, the minimum pay rate increases to $40.50 per hour.
From 19 July 2021
From 30 June 2021
Employers of migrant workers must become accredited from 1 November 2021 before work visa applications can be processed. Most employers are not accredited. Those that are accredited will have to roll into the new system when it goes live in late September.
From mid-2020 (delayed)
Skilled occupation "Dairy Cattle Farmer" spilt into three occupations. New occupations are: "Dairy Farm Manager", "Assistant Dairy Farm Manager" and "Dairy Herd Manager". Each sit at different skill levels, therefore, the award of points will depend on pay rates, job tasks and other requirements.
From 15 February 2021
The government has deferred the fortnightly selection of Expressions of Interest from the Skilled Migrant pool for six months (to be reviewed in April 2021). Invitations to Apply for Residence remain suspended. The last selection from the Skilled Migrant pool took place on 18/03/2020.
From 7 October 2020
The government added four new occupations that are now regarded as skilled employment and may qualify for job offer points under the Skilled Migrant Category. These are:
Aged or disabled carer, Bicycle mechanic, Driller and Nursing Support worker.
From 27 July 2020
Anyone invited by Immigration NZ to apply for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category where their invitation is dated between 1 November 2019 and 15 April 2020 (inclusive) has now been granted an additional six months to lodge their residence application.
From 27 May 2020
The government has deferred the fortnightly selection of Expressions of Interest from the Skilled Migrant pool. This means Invitations to Apply for Residence are also suspended. Malcolm Pacific Immigration does not anticipate selections to resume until after the general election held on 17 October 2020.
Immigration NZ is now prioritising Skilled Migrant Residence applications where the main (principal) applicant meets the criteria:
From 24 February 2020
From 7 October 2019
The government recently added more occupations that are now to be regarded as skilled employment and may qualify for job offer points under the Skilled Migrant Category. In order to qualify for points, the job must be paying at least the current median wage (or higher for certain occupations) at the time the residence application is lodged.
From 1 November 2021
From 1 November 2021 anyone who is not a NZ citizen must be fully vaccinated (unless exempt) before travelling to New Zealand. Fully vaccinated means your last dose of vaccine was given at least 14 days before travelling and it was an approved vaccine.
Applications for employer accreditation closed at the end of June 2021. Applications lodged before the closure date are still being processed. New applications for accreditation open on 9 May 2022. The process will be quite different to what employers have experienced in the past. Businesses will need to meet minimum standards.
Wednesday, 1 December is fast approaching and it is estimated that around 16,000 individuals and families can apply in the first wave for the 2021 Resident Visa opening next month. It is exciting for the thousands of people who have been waiting patiently to become residents that finally the finish line is in sight.
The first wave of applicants can apply from 1 December 2021. Around 16,000 applications are expected in this first wave. The second wave opens on 1 March 2022. In total, the government expects approximately 110,000 applications that will include about 165,000 people.
The second group of workers who can apply online for the 2021 Resident Visa that opens on 1 March 2022 are those who hold an eligible work visa and either meet "Settled", "Skilled" or "Scarce" as set out above. In total Immigration NZ estimate around 110,000 people will qualify to apply for this visa.
The first group of workers who can apply online for the 2021 Resident Visa that opens on 1 December 2021 are those that on 29/09/2021:
Is this the only requirement to qualify for residence? No. In addition to the eligible work visa criteria workers also need to be regarded as one of the following:
People who were lawfully in NZ (or in Australia when the travel bubble closed between April and July 2021) on 29/09/2021 need to meet the visa eligibility criteria:
The government has introduced a limited pathway to residence for people who are already living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave of people eligible to apply. The second wave opens on 1 March 2022. The deadline to apply for the 2021 Resident Visa is 31 July 2022.
A small number of critical health workers (taking up jobs for six months or longer) or specialist workers (taking up jobs that are for longer than six months) who were granted border exemptions may also have eligibility for the 2021 Resident Visa. They will need to have arrived in NZ and lodge a 2021 Resident Visa application.
*Excludes high-risk countries.
*Excludes high-risk countries.
The work visa categories set to close are:
In order to address labour shortages in New Zealand's crucial industries the NZ government has implemented a "Green List" of sought-after high-skill occupations. This list offers a prioritised pathway to residency.
There are qualification and/or occupational registration requirements to meet. Occupations are broken down into two tiers:
The recent additions in May 2023 across many sectors on the Green List NZ can be found here