New Zealand will reopen two pathways to residence, the Skilled Migrant Category and the Parent Category on 9 November 2022 and 14 November respectively. Both visas provide migrants with the right to stay, work and study in New Zealand, indefinitely.
Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced the changes on Oct 12. He said the government's plan is to fill workforce shortages and ensure a competitive edge to attract talent to New Zealand.
“The proposed changes will also see a faster route to residence for very highly skilled migrants, such as university lecturers or scientists who hold a PhD, while other professionals such as teachers and registered tradespeople will have a clear route if they work for a period in New Zealand.
The new system will improve processing times and there will be no cap on the number of people who can gain residence each year, if they meet the skills threshold,” Michael Wood said.
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The Skilled Migrant Category - Overview
The objective of the Skilled Migrant Category is to support New Zealand’s economic growth by granting residence to people who have skills to fill identified long-term needs, and who can deploy those skills in New Zealand.
The first selection will be at 160 points, and subsequent selections at an increased threshold of 180 points, to better align with the future direction of the category. The long-term direction of the Skilled Migrant Category is being reviewed and there may be changes in the future.
Before you can apply, you will need to send Immigration New Zealand an expression of interest (EOI) , that details your work experience and qualification.
What can you do with this visa?
you can live, work and study in New Zealand, indefinitely
you can include your partner, and dependent children aged 24 and below, in your application.
Meeting the criteria
you must provide proof of your identity
acceptable photo of your head and shoulders
a copy of your passport or certificate of identity
you must be of good character
if you are 17 or over, you must provide a police certificate from your country of citizenship and any other country where you have spent 12 months or more over the last 10 years, even if you did not spend that 12 months all in one visit.
you must be in good health
you must have a chest x-ray and a medical examination as proof of your good health.
you must be able to speak English
you need an acceptable English language test result. For IELTS , you need an overall band score of 6.5 or above for the General Training or Academic module.
You do not need to provide test results if one of the following applies to you.
you're a citizen of Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States, and you've spent at least 5 years working or studying in those countries, or in Australia or New Zealand.
you've a qualification similar to a New Zealand level 7 bachelor's degree gained in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States, and you studied for at least 2 years in any of those countries to get that qualification.
you've a qualification gained in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States, which is comparable to a postgraduate New Zealand qualification. You must have studied for at least 1 year in any of those countries to get that qualification.
your age must be 55 years or younger when you apply
your current employment or offer of employment must be skilled
If invited to apply for residence, you must provide evidence of your skilled employment, including having the necessary:
work experience
qualifications
occupational registration
your qualification must be recognised to qualify for points
A qualification can be recognised if:
it is on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment; or
it has been assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA); or
it has been assessed by a New Zealand registration authority at the same level as a qualification on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment as part of an application for New Zealand occupational registration; or
it is a Washington Accord or Sydney Accord accredited undergraduate degree
your work experience must be skilled to qualify for points
you must send an Expression of Interest (EOI)
you must be invited to apply for residence
you can include your partner and dependent children (above 24 years) in your application
for your family to be included in a residence application, you must have included them in your Expression of Interest.
If invited to apply, you must provide evidence:
of your relationship with your partner and dependent children
that your partner and dependent children meet the identity, character, health, and English language requirements for this visa. For IELTS, you need an overall band score of 5.0 or above for the General Training or Academic module.
your partner and children (above 16), must speak English or pay for classes to learn English in New Zealand
The total amount you pay includes:
the cost of ESOL classes
administration costs for Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) — they arrange the classes, and
administration costs.
Further information about this visa can be found here
The Parent Category - Overview
The Government is delivering on a 2020 election promise to reduce barriers to access the Parent Category visa, including increasing the number of parent resident visas granted each year and reducing the income thresholds.
“We recognise the importance for migrants resettling here to have a pathway for their parents to join them,” said Michael Wood. “Re-starting the parent category is the right thing to do, and will see New Zealand become an even more attractive destination for high skilled migrants looking to resettle long term, knowing they can do so with their families.
Points to remember:
If you submitted an EOI under the previous parent visa, you can withdraw or update it.
Grandparents and legal guardians may be able to apply for residence under this category.
If you have any dependent children, you are not eligible for this visa.
What can you do with this visa?
you can live, work and study in New Zealand, indefinitely.
you can include your partner in your application.
Number of visas
2500 a year
Meeting the criteria
you must complete an expression of interest. You must complete a ‘Parent Category Expression of Interest Form’ telling Immigration New Zealand:
your identity, character and health
your English speaking ability — if you do not speak English, you must agree to pay for English language lessons if your application is approved
your family
your partner, if you have one
your sponsor or sponsors, including their income.
you must be invited to apply for residence
If your expression of interest (EOI) is selected from the selection pool, you will be invited to apply for residence. If you are invited to apply for residence, Immigration New Zealand will ask you to:
complete a ‘Parent Category Residence Application’
provide evidence to support the claims made in your EOI
you have 4 months to send your application
Use the ‘Parent Category Guide ’ to help you complete the ‘Parent Category Residence Application.
you must provide proof of your identity
2 acceptable photos of your head and shoulders
your original or a certified copy of your passport or certificate of identity
your original or a certified copy of your full birth certificate
you must be in good health
you must have a chest x-ray and a medical examination as proof of your good health
you must be of good character
If you are 17 or over, you must provide a police certificate from your country of citizenship and any other country where you have spent 12 months or more over the last 10 years, even if you did not spend that 12 months all in one visit.
you must be able to speak English
you need an acceptable English language test result. For IELTS, you need an overall band score of 5.0 or above for the General Training or Academic module
IELTS band score of 4.0 or more in at least 2 of the 4 skills – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
test results must be no more than 2 years old at the time your application is lodged
your partner must meet the requirements for this visa. You must provide evidence:
of your relationship with your partner
that your partner meets the identity, character, health and English language requirements for this visa.
you must have no dependent children
your sponsoring child or both your child and their joint sponsor must earn enough to sponsor you
you must have at least one adult child who is eligible to sponsor you
your sponsoring child must be a New Zealand citizen or resident
your sponsoring child must live in New Zealand
you must be the parent or legal guardian of the sponsoring child
Further information about this visa can be found here
IELTS for migration
When you apply for the new 2021 Resident Visa, you may need to demonstrate that you meet certain minimum standards of English language proficiency (unless exemptions apply). IELTS helps you prove your language proficiency.
Why take an Academic test when you don't need to? The IELTS General Training test examines your English using every-day, non-academic English, and is accepted for migration, secondary education and work experience in New Zealand. It has the same modules as the Academic test but its Reading and Writing sections are based on general interest topics. In New Zealand, you can take the IELTS General Training test on paper or on computer .
*Always check with Immigration New Zealand, your migration agent, education consultant or workplace to find out which IELTS test you need.
Access free official IELTS mock tests
Immigration and the law
Content on this page is for general information on immigration to New Zealand and does not constitute legal advice or immigration advice. Legislation about immigration changes frequently. It’s important to check the Immigration New Zealand website for changes that may apply to you.
If you are interested in New Zealand student and work visas, or looking to migrate permanently, you need to lodge an application with the New Zealand Government. You may want to consider getting support from a lawyer or registered New Zealand Immigration Consultant.