Immigration NZ just announced changes to the processing ranking of residence applications from skilled workers.
Priority will now only be given to people applying when:
- Paid $51 per hour (30 hours or more each week) OR $106,080 per annum (for a 40 hour week)
- Require New Zealand occupational registration to work in their job (e.g. nurse, doctors and teachers).
Priority will no longer go to people who have worked for an accredited employers for 2 years or more unless they meet one of two the criteria above.
This means Immigration NZ will start processing older residence applications in the queue since December 2018.
Until the government decide the new approval numbers for the residence programme the queue of skilled workers invited to apply for residence will keep growing.
There are limited special circumstances where Immigration NZ might consider moving an application forward (does not include a visa about to expire or a long time in the residence queue). Take advice.
People need to be prepared to reapply early for new work visas as the residence queue grows. We recommend applying no later than 3 months before the work visa expiry date.
Essential Skills Work Visa processing to take longer
Following the coronavirus outbreak in China Immigration NZ have closed their office in Beijing until further notice.
This has limited the number of Immigration Officers available to process visa applications.
Immigration NZ have reallocated resources and shifted visa applications around the globe.
As a result Essential Skills work visa applications will move from 10 days wait time for allocation to an Immigration Officer to process up to 6 weeks.
Applying early and making sure an application is 100% right at the time it is lodged will be crucial to get the faster possible decision. Incomplete applications will create much longer delays.
