Skilled migrant delays & changes

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) report the skilled migrant residence visa category is over-subscribed as sustained economic growth and low unemployment have driven significant demand for migrant workers at all skill levels.

Many skilled migrants have been waiting in a queue since December 2018 to have their residence application assessed. The number of applications sitting in a queue are now around 11,000. On current projections this number will only grow.

Skilled migrants earning above $105,000 per annum or who hold occupational registration (teachers, doctors, nurses etc) or those who have worked for accredited employers for longer than two years or who applied under the South Island Contribution category are being fast tracked ahead of other applicants.

Several occupations have been added to the list of skilled occupations that now qualify for points provided the job pays no less than the median wage (currently NZD 25 per hour). The new skilled occupations are Teacher Aides, Travel Consultants, Train Drivers etc. For more details and the full list click here.

Navigating these new rules will be tricky and we are constantly training our licensed immigration advisers to stay on top of the changes, their timing and the methodology for getting applications through the system as fast as possible.

Contact Lukas Sousa in the first instance lukas@malcolmpacifc.com to get help.