Visa deadlines – is your team tracking?

If you plan to employ migrant workers from overseas to join your workforce before Christmas 2023, Work Visa applications need to be lodged soon. Immigration NZ shortly enter their busy processing season and are already under pressure with existing visa applications. Any delay in lodging a visa application may result in flights being missed or cancelled. Take advice and apply early to ensure you have the skills in place for 2024.

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Family, friends, or colleagues planning to visit New Zealand during December 2023 or January 2024? If they require a Visitor Visa to enter New Zealand, then now is the time to prepare and lodge visa applications.

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Work Visa applications for partners of migrant’s workers (i.e. where the migrant worker holds a job specific work visa) are facing processing delays of 10 to 11 weeks. This is due to the rush of partner work visa applications lodged before a tougher set of criteria came into effect on 31 May. If you are recruiting from offshore, then these delays may mean your worker wants to wait until their partner has work rights before they travel. People remain nervous of being separated from family given our recent history with closing the border.

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We have noticed people applying for the wrong type of visa as Immigration NZ make changes to the online visa system. It can be confusing and just ticking the wrong box can have unintended consequences. Take advice to get it right.

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Contact Malcolm Pacific Immigration for immigration advice. We have the largest team of licensed immigration advisers in the country on standby ready to help you.

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