Want to know your New Zealand immigration options? Read this!
It’s the question on the lips of many hopeful future New Zealanders – “What are my New Zealand immigration options?” Wonder no more! Today we’re going to tell you exactly what your options are by discussing these key immigration matters:
- Residence options
- Visa options
- Application options
Let’s start at the beginning – your residence options.
Your residence options
New Zealand offers immigrants two residence options – temporary residence and permanent residence.
Some visas grant permanent residence straightaway, others serve as a pathway to residence, and there are visas that only offer temporary residence.
Your individual situation will determine for which visa and type of residence you qualify, as all of New Zealand visas each has a unique set of requirements to meet.
Your visa options
New Zealand has 6 categories of immigration visas:
1. Work
There are five visas that enable you to immigrate to New Zealand to live and work there:
- Skilled Migrant visa: The skilled migrant visa is for individuals who meet certain requirements in terms of their profession, experience, skills and qualifications. If you’re granted this visa, you receive permanent residence.
- Accredited Employer Work visa: The Accredited Employer Work Visa is for migrants with job offers from accredited New Zealand employers. It is a visa for temporary residency, but eligible candidates can qualify for straight-to-residence or work-to-residence pathways.
- Partner visa – if your partner is a New Zealander: This visa enables you to apply for residence if your partner or spouse is a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. If granted, you’ll be entitled to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. In addition you can include dependent children, aged 24 and younger, in your visa application.
- Partner visa – if your partner is a New Zealand work visa holder: If your spouse or partner has secured a job offer in New Zealand, you’re eligible to apply for a partner visa on the basis of your spouse or partner being your sponsor. If granted this visa, you’ll be able live in New Zealand. As a resident of New Zealand, you’ll also have the option to work.
- Entrepreneur visa: The entrepreneur visa is for persons who want to work in their own business in New Zealand. In terms of what the visas allow, this could mean either buying into a company or setting up a new business. In both instances, you’ll be eligible for permanent residence.
2. Partner
New Zealand has three visas that enable you to join your spouse or partner in the country:
- Partner visa – if your partner is a New Zealander: This visa enables you to apply for residence if your partner or spouse is a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. If granted, you’ll be entitled to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. In addition you can include dependent children, aged 24 and younger, in your visa application.
- Partner visa – if your partner is a New Zealand work visa holder: If your spouse or partner has secured a job offer in New Zealand, you’re eligible to apply for a partner visa on the basis of your spouse or partner being your sponsor. If granted this visa, you’ll be able live in New Zealand. As a resident of New Zealand, you’ll also have the option to work.
- Partner of a Student Visitor Visa: This visitor visa enables you to join your partner in New Zealand during their studies. You’ll be able to explore the country as a tourist and also study but only for up to three months.
3. Relative
New Zealand appreciates that families don’t want to split up and thus offers five relative visas:
- Parent Retirement Visa: The parent retirement visa enables you to join your adult child in New Zealand. As this visa grants permanent residency, you’ll be able to immigrate permanently. To be eligible to apply for the visa, you must be able to meet Immigration New Zealand’s financial requirements.
- Parent Residency Visa: The parent residency visa enables you to join your adult child or grandchild in New Zealand provided he or she is a citizen or resident. Legal guardians are also eligible to apply. Unfortunately, you can’t apply if you have dependent children but you can include a partner in your application. Please note that the parent residency visa is closed to new applications until further notice.
- Child of a Worker Visitor Visa: This visa is open to temporary work visa holders and allows you to bring your children with you while you work in New Zealand.
- Dependent Child Student Visa: This visa is meant for the children of temporary work visa holders and it allows the child to attend school.
- Child of a Student Visitor Visa: This visa allows foreign students to come to New Zealand and bring their dependent children with them.
4. Investor
You can invest in New Zealand through one of two visas:
- Investor visa: The New Zealand investor visa requires an investment of at least NZ$1,5million for four years in New Zealand. You must be 65 years old or younger to apply for this visa.
- Investor Plus visa: To apply for the investor plus visa, you must invest at least NZ$10million for a period of three years in New Zealand. There are no age restrictions on this visa.
5. Study
The study visa is for persons who want to study in New Zealand for longer than 12 weeks. Your partner and dependents can also accompany you to New Zealand by applying for a partner of a student visitor visa and child of a student visitor visa.
Your application options
When talking about your application options, we’re referring to how you choose to handle your application. Your options here are doing it on yourself or with the help of a licensed immigration advisor.
Doing your application on yourself
There is nothing that prevents you from completing your visa application on your own. Many people initially take this DYI route because they think applying for a visa to New Zealand is as easy as filling in a form.
This is not true, unfortunately.
For starters, most people can’t make heads or tails of the New Zealand points system. This leads people to rely on online points calculators only to realise much later that these tools aren’t accurate.
In general, the problem with online applications is that the programme you’re dealing with can’t ask you all of the questions that need to be asked. This means you’ll miss information or perhaps provide the wrong information. The reality is that the smallest of mistakes can be the difference between getting a visa and your application being rejected.
At the end of the day, taking this route will depend on two factors: how much patience you have, and whether or not you’re okay with risking a possible rejection of your application.
Applying with the help of an licensed immigration advisor
Your second option is to make use of a licensed immigration advisor. One of the benefits of this is that a proper licensed immigration advisor for New Zealand is knowledgeable, experienced and has studied. They do this for a living, which means that they have tons of experience in helping people just like you with visa applications.
Here are four specific examples of how working with a licensed immigration advisor can benefit you:
- A licensed advisor can explore all your New Zealand immigration options with you. This person will leave no stone unturned to uncover any visas for which you are eligible.
- Your advisor will know of regulation changes long before these changes become news. He or she will thus be able to course-correct immediately if necessary or offer alternatives should it no longer be possible to continue with your visa application.
- A licensed advisor will be able to provide you with support, advice, encouragement and of course their expertise and knowledge which can prove invaluable.
- Licensed advisors for New Zealand are registered with the IAA (Immigration Advisors Authority), which means advisors are held accountable by a professional body for the advice and service they give. This affords you peace of mind and comfort during a time that can be extremely difficult and stressful.
Recapping your New Zealand immigration options
When immigrating to New Zealand, there is the option of obtaining permanent or temporary residence. Although, which type of residence you can obtain does depend on your visa eligibility.
Further to this, there are six categories of visas. These visas give you the option to work, join a partner, join a relative, start a business, invest, or study in New Zealand.
Lastly, you have two options when it comes to how you do your application. Your first option is doing it yourself, which is only recommended if you have a lot of patience and don’t mind costly mistakes. The second option is working with a licensed immigration advisor. Doing this can benefit your application in numerous ways which could increase your chances of success. In other words, your chances of getting your visa.
Do you want to further discuss your options with a licensed immigration advisor?
Please do not hesitate to book a consultation to discuss your chances of immigrating to Australia with a licensed advisor. Our advisors assess your eligibility, and discuss your visa options and the way forward with you. If you choose to work with us on your application, our team will be at your side every step of the way!
- Published in New Zealand Immigration Advice
Your checklist for moving to New Zealand
If you’re looking for a checklist for moving to New Zealand, you’re at the right place! What you’ll find below are the tasks most critical to your immigration at each phase of the process. You won’t find the steps for your visa application itself, as it is best to discuss these with your immigration advisor.
How to use this checklist?
As we explained, your checklist is divided into phases. You’ll see that there are six phases. The first four phases involve all the hard work. The last two are simply tasks for the day before you fly and for the day of your departure.
Further to this, the timelines assigned to each phase of the process is estimates. Your immigration might move faster or slower than our phases indicate. That’s okay! Each immigration is unique.
That’s also why you might find that you won’t do the tasks from top to bottom. You might have to jump around. That’s fine too.
Now let’s get to your checklist for moving to New Zealand.
You’re just getting started
During this phase, you’re still gathering your thoughts and you’ve just decided that you’d like to move to New Zealand.
- Get your eligibility assessed by a licensed immigration agent. You should only proceed with the rest of the process if you’re certain that you qualify to live in New Zealand.
- Discuss your plans with your immediate family. Start with your children and then talk to your parents and siblings. They’ll need time to get used to the idea of not having you around!
- Investigate employment opportunities – where are the jobs in your occupation available?
- Decide where you want to live, then research house prices, salaries and the cost of living in the area.
- Update your CV to make it suitable for New Zealand employers.
- Check that your entire family has valid passports. Ensure that there are at least two years available on each passport. The process of applying for a visa may take several months!
- Check to see if your pet is allowed in New Zealand. New Zealand has strict requirements for the import of cats, dogs and other common pets.
You’re going from thinking about it to taking action
Your eligibility assessment has shown that you qualify to live in New Zealand, so now you can get the ball rolling. This phase is roughly 18 to 12 months before you move to New Zealand.
- Seeing as you know that qualify for a visa, now is the time to start job hunting. We’ve shared a list of recruiters in New Zealand on our blog before.
- Check with your immigration advisor whether or not it is time to go for medical examinations and to get police clearance certificates. You shouldn’t get these documents so far in advance that they’re no longer valid when you submit your visa application.
- Check what you’re allowed to take with you to New Zealand as far as personal belongings are considered. New Zealand has lists of prohibited items and items that you have to declare before clearing it for entry into the country.
- Start sharing your plans with your wider social circle, your children’s schools and your colleagues. With that being said, if you don’t want to discuss your plans just yet, that’s okay too. Do it when it feels right.
- Set up a meeting with your boss to discuss your plans. Who knows, you might need them as a reference.
- Make a list of the furniture and household items that you want to take with you to New Zealand. Once this list is drawn up, start selling or donating the unwanted items. Trust us, you don’t want to start clearing your house at the last minute!
- Start getting your finances in order. You might want to reduce debts or save money to have cash reserves for when you arrive. Also make a list of subscriptions that you’d have to stop or debit orders that you’d have to cancel.
- Now that you know what you want to take with, get quotes from shipping companies. Get quotes from pet importers too, if you have pets. These costs are bound to make up a huge part of your expenses, so it’s best to know how much to budget for well in advance.
- Get quotes for flights to New Zealand. You can’t book flights too far in advance, but it’s good to know how much tickets are as soon as it’s possible to do so. While you’re at it, get quotes for travel insurance.
- Unless your New Zealand employer is offering temporary accommodation, now is the time to start exploring accommodation options. Many people choose to rent a place for a couple of months to start off with. This means you have a home when you arrive, but also have time to house hunt at leisure once you’re in New Zealand. It’s so much better to be able to inspect a house or apartment yourself than having to decide on where to live over Skype!
You’re getting ready to leave in a couple of months
You can start seeing the finish line! It’s still about six months away, but now is the time to get the parts most critical to your move in order.
- Put your house in the market, either to sell or rent. The earlier you start this process, the better – especially if you’ve decided to sell your house. While you’re at it, ensure that your utilities and rates are paid up.
- Get rid of the last of the unwanted household items and furniture. When it’s all out of the way, start packing up your house. This might be stating the obvious, but start with the items you use the least. If you find that you’re overwhelmed by the amount of things you have to pack, tackle the process one room at a time. Another tip is to label boxes clearly so that you know to what room a box belongs. It’s going to make unpacking so much easier!
- Unless you’re going to import your car, you should put it on the market now too. Ensure that all services and maintenance are done and that you have paid any fines before selling it to someone else.
- Your pets might have to enter quarantine upon arrival in New Zealand. Now is the time to check that everything is in place for this process.
- Get credit references from your current bank and other lenders and open a New Zealand bank account. You can open a bank account from overseas up to a year before you move. It really is a good idea to do it now, because then you can make credit card and cash withdrawals as soon as you arrive in New Zealand.
- By now your immigration advisor would’ve told you if you qualify for New Zealand’s public healthcare. If you don’t, start making arrangements for private health insurance.
- Collect all the most important documents to take with you. These are commonly birth certificates, marriage certificates, medical documents, academic qualifications, credit references, and driver’s licenses.
- Talking about driver’s licenses – you’ll need a translation of it in English if you’re license is in another language. You’re allowed to drive in New Zealand on your overseas license for 12 months, so you won’t have to convert your license immediately.
- Now is the time to sign for temporary accommodation in New Zealand if you haven’t done so yet. If you have family or friends close by, get them to go have a look at the place and report back on its suitability.
- If you’ve been renting, give notice to your landlord. Most rental agreements require that you give notice at least two months in advance.
- Book your flights and arrange transport to your new home. You’re going to be exhausted when you arrive, so strongly consider hiring a car. That way you won’t have to figure out the public transport or where to catch a taxi.
- Get refills of prescription medicines and contact lenses. If you think you’re going to need new glasses in the upcoming months, rather go to your local optometrist now to get a pair.
- Cancel all those subscriptions and debit orders you put on your list. Also cancel things like gym contracts, phone contracts, and any insurance you won’t need.
- Request handover files from your dentist and doctor for your whole family. These files will be enormously helpful to your new doctor and dentist in New Zealand.
- Start saying goodbye to friends and family. It’s going to be hard but it has to get done!
There are only three weeks left until you fly!
Things are starting to feel real! These last few weeks are going to go by so fast!
- If you’re not done yet, finish packing up your house so that your belongings are ready to go.
- Organise transport to the airport.
- Make sure that your pets and your household belongings leave for the ports when the day comes.
- Call the bank to arrange the closure or transfer of your bank accounts.
- Have special farewells with your family and closest friends. Be sure to have separate farewells for your children and their friends. This move is going to be tough on your kids too!
The day before jetting off to New Zealand
With all of the hard work behind you, there is only a couple of things left to take care of.
- Pack your hand luggage. You first want to ensure that you have all the most important documents in your bag. Then you want to add any items that are going to make your flight easier. This could be anything from travel toothbrushes and books to toys and snacks for the kids.
- Finish up packing everyone’s suitcases.
- Get a good night’s sleep – tomorrow’s the big day.
You’re off!
It probably felt like this day would never come! Yet, here it is. You’re packed and ready to go.
- Double check that your hand luggage includes all your documents.
- Go through the whole house or apartment and check all the rooms to make sure that nothing has been left behind. Don’t forget to check in kitchen drawers and clothing cupboards in the bedrooms.
- Close the front door and set off on your new adventure!
Print and file your checklist for moving to New Zealand
You could just bookmark this page but our suggestion is to print the checklist and file it so that you can reference it easily. In fact, print a couple of copies so that each family member has a checklist. That way you can check up on each other to ensure that each item on the list gets done.
One last tip – consult with your migration advisor along the way
Depending on what services your migration advisor offers, he or she might also be able to advise you on certain steps of your checklist. Specifically when it is time to take specific steps. For instance, when you can start looking for a job or when it’s best to book flights. Please do consult with your advisor to find out what advise he or she will be able to give you.
- Published in Family Immigration, Tips for Your Move to New Zealand
FAQs: Immigration to New Zealand
Do you have questions about immigration to New Zealand? We bet you do! That’s why we’ve decided to compile a list of the questions we get most often and answer them for you.
Go ahead – bookmark this page immediately! Then start reading…
1. What do I need to immigrate to New Zealand?
The most important ‘need’ is meeting the criteria for immigration to New Zealand. The basics criteria relates to age, health, and character. Other requirements range from being in the right occupation to getting enough points in your skills assessment.
The specific visa you qualify for will reveal whatever else you’ll need to immigrate. For example, the documentation to submit.
2. Do I have to use a New Zealand immigration advisor?
No, you’re under no obligation to make use of a New Zealand immigration adviser. You can do your visa application on your own if that’s what you’d like to do.
3. Which visa option should I choose?
The visa option which is going to be best for you and your family is dependent on your individual circumstances. Our suggestion is to complete an immigration assessment to see what visas are available to you. A licensed immigration advisor will go through all the different visa options with you to find your best route to New Zealand.
4. What is the first step if I want to immigrate to New Zealand?
The first step is always an eligibility assessment to see if you qualify to live in New Zealand. Not only will the assessment show if you qualify for a visa, it will also detail the next steps to take.
While there are free online assessments available, it’s wise to get a licensed advisor to do your assessment. A licensed advisor is up to date on all regulations and knows which questions to ask.
You can read more here about why we recommend starting with an assessment.
5. How do I apply for an X visa for New Zealand?
People often want to know how to apply for a specific visa. The truth is that there’s no standard answer. Some people may have to do an English test as part of their application, while others don’t have to. Working with a licensed advisor is the best way to find what you requirements you have to meet.
6. Can I apply for a New Zealand work visa without a job?
The majority of people who want to live and work in New Zealand applies for either a skilled migrant visa or an accredited employer work visa. You must have a job offer to apply for either of these visas.
Often the next question people ask is “But how do I get a job without a visa?” Our advice is to start by finding out if you qualify for a work visa, then afterwards you can job hunt with confidence. It’s almost guaranteed that you’re more likely to get a job offer if an employer knows you do qualify for a visa.
We’ve written extensively about this process here.
7. Where do I find jobs in New Zealand?
New Zealand has many job sites. Some are general while other industry specific. These are some of the most popular job sites:
Workhere and Working in New Zealand specifically caters for migrants, so you might want to start your search there.
8. Is it possible to find work without visiting New Zealand?
It is possible but it might not be easy. Our suggestion is to work with professional New Zealand recruiters to market you to employers. This approach will improve your chances of signing a job contract.
With that being said, you should be open to travelling to New Zealand to attend job interviews. If you do work with a recruiter, they might be able to schedule a couple of interviews over the same time period. You’ll have to have the right visa though! This is the Look See Decide visa and you can read more about it on our website.
9. Can I immigrate to New Zealand as a tiler/nurse/architect/etc?
You should do an immigration assessment to see if you can move to Australia in your occupation.
With that said, there are certain occupations in New Zealand that are in need of overseas talent. These occupations are listed on New Zealand’s Green List.
Please remember that your occupation appearing on the Green list is not a guarantee of getting a visa. You’ll still have to meet all the work visa criteria.
You can read more about working in New Zealand on our site.
10. What are the costs to consider when moving to New Zealand?
There are various costs to consider if you want to immigrate to New Zealand. These include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Immigration New Zealand fees.
- Immigration advisor fees, if you work with one.
- Flights to get to New Zealand.
- Relocation costs, including your household goods and pets.
- Living costs. Check that your salary will be enough to cover all your needs and wants.
If you like to plan ahead, also consider these costs:
- Housing – compare renting vs buying a home.
- School fees, if you have children.
- Banking costs.
- Healthcare.
- Buying a car, if you’re not shipping yours.
11. Where is the best area in New Zealand to live?
The answer will be the same no matter where in the world you live – this is entirely dependent on your family’s individual preferences. The type of lifestyle which you may enjoy may be very different to that of other families.
The best way to find the perfect area for you is to learn as much as you can about each area. Find out where you will be working and plan your ideal lifestyle around the area that you will need to commute to each day.
12. Can my parents join us in New Zealand?
Yes, your parents are allowed to join you in New Zealand. This is provided your parents meet the requirements to do so. The parent visa options are:
- Parent Retirement Resident visa
- Parent and Grandparent Visitor visa
- Parent Resident visa
13. Can I bring my pets with me to New Zealand?
Yes, it is possible to take pets with you to New Zealand. It is important to note though that some breeds are not allowed into New Zealand. Furthermore, your pets might have to undergo a quarantine period. Your pets must also have certain vaccinations to enter the country.
14. Can I immigrate to New Zealand with a criminal record?
All visa applicants to New Zealand must be of good character, not pose a security risk, and not threaten New Zealand’s international reputation.
To this end, New Zealand requires you to meet certain character requirements in order to get a visa.
You can’t get a visa if you:
- Have ever been convicted of an offence for which you were sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 5 years or more.
- Have been convicted in the last 10 years of an offence for which you were sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 months or longer.
- Are prohibited from entering New Zealand.
- Have ever been removed, excluded or deported from any country.
Please consult with a licensed immigration advisor for further information and clarification about the character requirements.
15. Is it difficult to immigrate to New Zealand?
This is an extremely subjective question. What we can tell is that immigration to New Zealand does involve a lot of work and planning. Just like with immigration to any other country in the world!
But when you work with a licensed immigration advisor, you’ll make the process much easier on yourself. The advisor will guide you throughout the process and provide support every step of the way.
Didn’t see your burning question about immigration to New Zealand here?
Then head on over to our blog where we cover a multitude of topics across several categories. You can also book a consultation call online or give us a call on +27 (0) 21 202 8200.
- Published in FAQs - New Zealand Immigration, New Zealand Immigration Advice
FAQs: Education In New Zealand
As a parent looking to migrate, it’s only natural that you have a million questions about education in New Zealand.
Let us start by telling you that New Zealand prides itself on an education system that is world-class, modern and responsive. It’s not just talk either. Expat parents rate New Zealand’s education system as the fifth best in the world!
To help you understand exactly how schooling works in New Zealand, we’re going to answer 13 questions that every parent asks.
1. At what age should my child start school?
Going to school is compulsory for New Zealand children from the ages of 6 to 16. Parents are allowed to already send their children to primary school at the age of 5, but by the age of 6 children must be enrolled to start their schooling.
2. What are the different school phases?
New Zealand’s school system is divided into three phases:
- Primary
- Intermediate
- Secondary (or high school)
As explained above, your child must enter primary school by the time he or she is 6 years old. If your child is at a full primary school, he or she will complete Year 1 to Year 8 at the school. He or she will then continue on to secondary school for Year 9 to Year 13.
However, if your child is at a contributing primary school, he or she will complete Year 1 to Year 6 at the school. He or she will then go to an intermediate school for Year 7 and Year 8 before continuing on to secondary school at Year 9.
What is the difference between a full primary school and contributing primary school?
Full primary schools offer all primary school years, from Year 1 to Year 8, while contributory primary schools only offer Year 1 to Year 6. Contributing primary schools are more common but your child will get the same high standard of education no matter which type of primary school he or she attends.
3. What are the different types of schools in New Zealand?
New Zealand has state schools, state-integrated schools and private schools:
State schools
State schools are schools owned and funded by the government. Education is free in these schools for domestic children, but parents normally have to still pay for things like uniforms, stationery, exam fees and, in some case, extra-curricular and sports activities.
Your child will be deemed a ‘domestic’ student if they:
- are a New Zealand resident, permanent resident or citizen; or
- hold a student visa based on your temporary work visa.
State-integrated schools
State-integrated schools are school with a ‘special character’. This means the school is either run by a particular religious faith or use specialist education methods, like Montessori.
Education in state-integrated schools is also funded by the government, but these schools normally charge ‘attendance dues’ fees to help maintain the school.
Private schools
Private schools are not funded by the government. Instead these schools charge set fees for the term or year. You’ll find some private schools are co-ed, while others are single sex schools for either boys or girls.
4. What is the learning environment like?
Getting an education in New Zealand means a child is taught through practical and theoretical learning, with students encouraged to think creatively, independently and analytically. Personal, focused attention is usually guaranteed, thanks to relatively small class sizes.
5. Does New Zealand have a school zoning system?
Yes, New Zealand does have a school zoning system. These school enrolment zones stop schools from getting overcrowded, and give children who live in the school area, or zone, a guarantee that they can go to their local school.
You can read more about school zones on our blog.
6. When are the school terms?
The school year is split into four terms commencing in late January through to mid-December. There is a 2-week holiday after each of the first three terms. At the end of the year there is a 6-week holiday instead.
- 1st Term: Late January to mid-April.
- 2nd Term: Late April to early July.
- 3rd Term: Mid July to late September.
- 4th Term: Mid October to mid-December.
7. How long is a school day?
The New Zealand school day usually starts at 9am and last until 3pm or 3.30pm.
8. How do I enroll my child in a school?
It is best to contact your local school to find out what the enrollment process is. Please be aware that you might need to provide evidence of your child’s visa status as part of the process.
9. What happens if we move to New Zealand in the middle of the school year?
Your child can enroll in school at any time during the year to continue their schooling. The school will place your child in a Year that corresponds with their age. For instance, if your child is 8 years old, he or she will most likely be placed in either Year 3 or Year 4 with other 8 year-olds.
10. How do I find schools in my area?
The Ministry of Education has an online tool that helps you find and choose schools in your neighbourhood. You can access this tool on the Ministry’s website. The Ministry also helps you by suggesting some things to consider when deciding on a school. You can also find these on their website.
11. Are school buses or public transport available to take my child to school?
It is not always possible for parents to drop their children at school or to pick them up in the afternoon. Thankfully, it is safe for children to walk or ride their bicycle to school. Despite this some schools still offer school buses.
Many children also make their way to and from school in a ‘walking school bus’. This is an organized and supervised group walking to school together. It’s a great way for children to meet other kids their age in their neighbourhood!
12. May I homeschool my children?
Yes, you may but you’ll have to apply to the Ministry of Education for a Certificate of Exemption from enrolment at a registered school. To get the exemption you’ll have to satisfy the Ministry’s requirement that your children will receive lessons regularly and at the same standards as they would have received at a school.
In summary….
You can rest assured that your child will receive a quality education in New Zealand. Should you need help with a study visa for your child, or your own visas, please do not hesitate to contact us for expert advice and assistance.
- Published in Family Immigration, FAQs - New Zealand Immigration
Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill passed on 13 May 2020
In a previous post, we shared the news that the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill was introduced to New Zealand’s parliament on Tuesday, 5 May 2020. Now we can tell you that the government passed the bill on 13 May 2020.
What is it that the Bill allows?
Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill passed on 13 May 2020
Minister of Immigration Iain Lees-Galloway explains it in his press release that was published last week:
“The Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill 2020 allows us to amend the Act so we have the necessary flexibility and efficiency to address the unprecedented challenge of managing large numbers of migrants who are practically unable to leave New Zealand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, or who live in New Zealand but are offshore and are facing difficulty returning.”
In a nutshell, the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill enables the New Zealand Government to respond quickly, appropriately and efficiently to immigration issues arising from the coronavirus pandemic.
There were concerns from some corners – including our own office – prior to the New Zealand Government passing the bill. These concerns were specifically around the type of visa applicants the Bill will affect. Minister Lees –Galloway has provided some clarity about this by mentioning in his press release that the New Zealand government “…won’t [be] revoking visas or suspending onshore applications. Any special direction made under the Amendment Act will not disadvantage visa holders.”
The Bill introduces eight time-limited powers
As we explained above, the Amendment Bill enables the New Zealand Government to amend visa conditions for groups of people. The Bill also enables the government to extend visas for groups of people for varying periods of time. The purpose of the latter is to enable Immigration New Zealand to stagger the processing of visa applications whenever people need or want to stay longer in New Zealand.
Further to the above, the Amendment Bill also enables the government to waive visa requirements for groups of people. The Bill also makes provision for preventing groups of people overseas from applying for visas when it is impossible to travel to New Zealand due to border restrictions.
All of these changes to the Immigration Act are available for 12 months and are captured in these eight powers:
- imposing, varying or cancelling conditions for classes of temporary entry class visa holders
- varying or cancelling conditions for classes of resident class visa holders
- extending the expiry dates of visas for classes of people
- granting visas to individuals or classes of people in the absence of an application
- waiving any regulatory requirements for certain classes of application, in other words any requirements that applicants have to meet to have their application accepted by INZ for assessment
- waiving the requirement to obtain a transit visa
- suspending the ability to make applications for visas or submit Expressions of Interest in applying for visas by classes of people who are overseas
- revoking the entry permission of people who are deemed to have obtained entry permission
Where does this leave us?
In our opinion, there are still uncertainties. If we go back to our earlier post on the Bill, you’ll see that the changes that worry us the most are those that now make it possible for the government to stop groups of people from applying for visas and to stop groups of people from submitting Expressions of Interest.
We’re going to keep a close eye on the situation to see how the government and Immigration New Zealand acts upon the changes introduced to the Immigration Act.
Our advice to you stays the same…
It is now more important than ever that you know if you’re eligible for immigration and that you understand the process of applying for a visa seeing that it’ll soon be much more complicated.
For these reasons, we suggest that you book a consultation call with us. You’ll discover your visa options during the call as well as the process and costs involved. You’ll know exactly what to expect!
- Published in News
Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill introduced to New Zealand Parliament
On Tuesday, 5 May 2020, the New Zealand Parliament introduced the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill.
The bill will grant the New Zealand Government far-reaching powers to change how visas are accepted and processed. The bill also introduces powers to allow the Minister of Immigration to suspend the ability of some classes of people to apply for visas.
We asked Maike Versfeld, Intergate Emigration Director and licensed advisor, to explain the bill’s significance to us, including how it may affect immigrants going forward. Here’s what she had to say:
Why was this bill introduced?
It was found that the current Immigration Act of 2009 was not fit-for-purpose to respond to emergency situations like the challenges that were experienced due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill is set to become law on the 15th of May 2020.
The date range from labelling this bill in parliament to it getting enacted is only 10 days, which gives very little time for stakeholders to voice their opinions on it. If this is not concerning to you, then you should think again.
But what does this mean and who is going to be affected by this?
This Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill will allow the government to make visa-related decisions to entire groups of visa application holders and applicants. It will give the government the power to:
- vary or cancel conditions for classes of resident class visa holders
- impose, vary, or cancel conditions for classes of temporary entry class visa holders
- waive any regulatory requirements for certain classes of applications
- grant visas to individuals and classes of people in the absence of an application
- extend the expiry dates of visas for classes of people
- waive the requirement to obtain a transit visa in an individual case
- revoke the entry permission of a person who has been deemed by regulations to hold a visa and to have been granted entry permission
- suspend the ability of classes of people to make applications for visas or submit expressions of interest in applying for visas
Provided the bill passes in parliament, it will give the Minister of Immigration new powers for the next 12 months. Those powers can either be used to make changes that you’ll welcome or mean that Immigration NZ will be able to take away certain rights.
Interestingly, the bill gives the Minister of Immigration the ability to grant visas without a visa application being present. He’ll be able to impose, vary or cancel conditions for entire classes of temporary visa holders.
Where does this leave us?
It is still very unclear at the moment. It is also worrisome that the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill will allow the Minister to ‘suspend certain classes of people to make applications for visas or submit an expression of interest in applying for visas’….
I am asking myself what type of visa applicant will this affect, and why would it even be necessary to give the New Zealand government such powers?
Before the pandemic started, INZ’s processing time for a Skilled Migrant Residence visa was about 18 months. If I compare this to 2017, a time when an SMC application was still assessed within 1-3 months, it is clearly evident that INZ was already struggling with all the applications in the queue before the pandemic started. Temporary work visa applications took between 2-4 months, sometimes longer.
Seeing that the visa processing time was already long prior to the pandemic, what is the real reason behind wanting to suspend the ability of people to submit visa applications and Expression of Interests? Is this perhaps just a tool to allow INZ to clear the backlog they were sitting on for a very long time? Or is this a way to create new classes of people who INZ want to prevent from applying for visas in future?
In conclusion
There aren’t answers yet to all our questions, but it’s more important than ever to know if you’re eligible for immigration and to understand the visa application process.
Please do not hesitate to contact our team if you have any questions. You can call us on 021 202 8200 or email us at info@intergate-immigration.com.
- Published in News
Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill passed on 13 May 2020
In a previous post, we shared the news that the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill was introduced to New Zealand’s parliament on Tuesday, 5 May 2020. Now we can tell you that the government passed the bill on 13 May 2020.
What is it that the Bill allows?
Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill passed on 13 May 2020
Minister of Immigration Iain Lees-Galloway explains it in his press release that was published last week:
“The Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill 2020 allows us to amend the Act so we have the necessary flexibility and efficiency to address the unprecedented challenge of managing large numbers of migrants who are practically unable to leave New Zealand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, or who live in New Zealand but are offshore and are facing difficulty returning.”
In a nutshell, the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill enables the New Zealand Government to respond quickly, appropriately and efficiently to immigration issues arising from the coronavirus pandemic.
There were concerns from some corners – including our own office – prior to the New Zealand Government passing the bill. These concerns were specifically around the type of visa applicants the Bill will affect. Minister Lees –Galloway has provided some clarity about this by mentioning in his press release that the New Zealand government “…won’t [be] revoking visas or suspending onshore applications. Any special direction made under the Amendment Act will not disadvantage visa holders.”
The Bill introduces eight time-limited powers
As we explained above, the Amendment Bill enables the New Zealand Government to amend visa conditions for groups of people. The Bill also enables the government to extend visas for groups of people for varying periods of time. The purpose of the latter is to enable Immigration New Zealand to stagger the processing of visa applications whenever people need or want to stay longer in New Zealand.
Further to the above, the Amendment Bill also enables the government to waive visa requirements for groups of people. The Bill also makes provision for preventing groups of people overseas from applying for visas when it is impossible to travel to New Zealand due to border restrictions.
All of these changes to the Immigration Act are available for 12 months and are captured in these eight powers:
- imposing, varying or cancelling conditions for classes of temporary entry class visa holders
- varying or cancelling conditions for classes of resident class visa holders
- extending the expiry dates of visas for classes of people
- granting visas to individuals or classes of people in the absence of an application
- waiving any regulatory requirements for certain classes of application, in other words any requirements that applicants have to meet to have their application accepted by INZ for assessment
- waiving the requirement to obtain a transit visa
- suspending the ability to make applications for visas or submit Expressions of Interest in applying for visas by classes of people who are overseas
- revoking the entry permission of people who are deemed to have obtained entry permission
Where does this leave us?
In our opinion, there are still uncertainties. If we go back to our earlier post on the Bill, you’ll see that the changes that worry us the most are those that now make it possible for the government to stop groups of people from applying for visas and to stop groups of people from submitting Expressions of Interest.
We’re going to keep a close eye on the situation to see how the government and Immigration New Zealand acts upon the changes introduced to the Immigration Act.
Our advice to you stays the same…
It is now more important than ever that you know if you’re eligible for immigration and that you understand the process of applying for a visa seeing that it’ll soon be much more complicated.
For these reasons, we suggest that you book a consultation call to discuss your immigration options. Our licensed advisor will assess your visa eligibility and then discuss the best way forward with you.
- Published in News