All the latest visa and immigration news from New Zealand.
Thank you so very much Maike and Intergate for our new life in New Zealand!
The Hanekom family, celebrating being proud Kiwis!
Maike Versfeld, one of our licensed advisers, recently received a glowing recommendation from the Hanekom family from South Africa who she helped emigrate to New Zealand.
Here is what the Hanekoms had to say:
16 July 2017
To Whom It May Concern
In September 2016 we embarked on a life changing journey called “Immigration”!
We knew that it would be a long road ahead with a few bumps along the way; but we were however, not alone.
We decided that in order to complete the entire process correctly, we needed somebody who was experienced in this field!
We got into contact with Mrs Maike Versfeld from Intergate Emigration Services.We found them on the internet, completed all the forms required to see if we were even eligible, and then began.
Intergate handled our immigration process very professionally, even when they received 101 emails from us probably asking the same questions over and over again.
We managed to get our work visas approved and then applied for residency as soon as we were able, with Maike advising and liasing with Immigration New Zealand and ourselves constantly.Needless to say, we are now proud Kiwis!! Without the assistance from Maike and her team at Intergate this would not have been possible!!
I can highly recommend their services and my suggestion to whomever is considering immigration – Intergate is the only way to go.Thank you so very much Maike and Intergate for our new life in New Zealand that you have assisted in achieving.
The Hanekoms
As Intergate, we are thrilled to have been able to help the Hanekom family achieve their dream. If you’d like us to help you too, why don’t you get in touch with us on +27 (0) 21 202 8200. Your family could also soon be proud Kiwis.
- Published in News
South African government to keep track of South Africans spending more than 3 months abroad
A new piece of legislation that has appeared in the South African Department of Home Affairs’s White Paper on International Migration has ruffled feathers this week.
Government to keep track of certain South Africans expats
This piece of legislation – i.e. it is not law yet – states that South African citizens who plan to be out of the country for longer than three months will soon be compelled to register with the government. The purpose of this is keeping track of South Africans abroad and curbing the high emigration rate.
The White Paper also detailed South Africa’s main emigration and immigration targets to be reached by 2063; how South Africa plans to deal with the flood of immigrants from neighbouring African countries; and policies that would include the free movement of people within the SADC.
It is the first time emigration control has appeared in Home Affairs policy and according to reports, it is directly attributed to the high number of skilled workers and taxes leaving South Africa.
Here’s what you should do about this…
“If you are thinking of emigrating, now might be the time to start”, says Stuart James, Intergate Emigration Director.
The new piece of legislation might not make emigration impossible, but it could very well complicate the process for you and your family.
Starting is simple – all you have to do is book a consultation call with us for our licensed advisor to determine if you’re eligible to immigrate to New Zealand.
Read more about this legislation on The South African.
- Published in News
MUST READ – New Zealand immigration changes announced!
New Zealand Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse announced on 19 April 2017 that New Zealand will make a host of changes to their immigration policy to better manage immigration and improve the long-term labour market contribution of temporary and permanent migration.
The official statement
The official statement from Minister Woodhouse is as follows:
“The Government is committed to ensuring inward migration best supports the economy and the labour market. It’s important that our immigration settings are attracting the right people, with the right skills, to help fill genuine skill shortages and contribute to our growing economy.
That is why we are making a number of changes to our permanent and temporary immigration settings aimed at managing the number and improving the quality of migrants coming to New Zealand.”
Changes to permanent immigration settings include introducing two remuneration thresholds for applicants applying for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), which will complement the current qualifications and occupation framework.
“One remuneration threshold will be set at the New Zealand median income of $48,859 a year for jobs that are currently considered skilled. The other threshold will be set at 1.5 times the New Zealand median income of $73,299 a year for jobs that are not currently considered skilled but are well paid,” Mr Woodhouse says.
The SMC points table, under which individuals claim points towards their residence application, will also be realigned to put more emphasis on characteristics associated with better outcomes for migrants.
Collectively these changes will improve the skill composition of the SMC and ensure we are attracting migrants who bring the most economic benefits to New Zealand.”
Other changes
The New Zealand government is also proposing a number of changes to temporary migration to manage the number and settlement expectations of new migrants coming to New Zealand on Essential Skills work visas.
These changes include:
- The introduction of remuneration bands to determine the skill level of an Essential Skills visa holder, which would align with the remuneration thresholds being introduced for Skilled Migrant Category applicants
- The introduction of a maximum duration of three years for lower-skilled and lower-paid Essential Skills visa holders, after which a minimum stand down period will apply before they are eligible for another lower-skilled temporary work visa.
- Aligning the ability of Essential Skills visa holders to bring their children and partners to New Zealand with the new skill levels.
- Exploring which occupations have a seasonal nature and ensuring that the length of the visa aligns with peak labour demand.
Closing words from Minister Woodhouse
Minister Woodhouse ended off his announcement with the following:
“I want to make it clear that where there are genuine labour or skills shortages, employers will be able to continue to use migrant labour to fill those jobs.
However, the Government has a Kiwis first approach to immigration and these changes are designed to strike the right balance between reinforcing the temporary nature of Essential Skills work visas and encouraging employers to take on more Kiwis and invest in the training to upskill them.
We have always said that we constantly review our immigration policies to ensure they are fit for purpose and today’s announcement is another example of this Government’s responsible, pragmatic approach to managing immigration.”
What happens now?
Public consultation on the changes to temporary migration settings closes on 21 May 2017, with implementation planned for later this year.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Also follow us on Facebook or LinkedIn to keep up with future developments.
- Published in News, Working in New Zealand
The latest Expression Of Interest News
If you one of the thousands of people who are looking to relocate to New Zealand with your loved ones, then you more likely than not, will know a thing or two about the anxiety surrounding the expression of interest.
In fact last week you may have read out blog post entitled: Unpacking the New Zealand Expression of Interest. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, we strongly recommend that you do. Feel free to read it here.
With all the talk, hype, questions and anxiety over the expression of interest, it may be useful to stay up to date with exactly what is going on.
That is why we want to share with you the latest New Zealand immigration news.
The latest expression of interest news
The selection for the skilled migration category for the EOI, took place last week on Wednesday the 30th of September 2015. The time of this event was at 1:00 pm in the afternoon, according to the New Zealand time.
The selection of the following expression of interests was selected:
• 595 expressions of interests out of 123 registrants, those with a total of 140 points of more.
• 188 expressions of interests out of 424 registrants, for those with a job or a job offer who held a total of 100 points or more but less than 140.
What does this mean?
This means that there were a total of 783 expressions of interests chosen from 1660 total registrants.
The next selection will take place in a fortnight.
More information
Prior to applying for New Zealand residence under the skilled migration category, it is essential that you first submit an expression of interest.
You must meet set requirements and you must obtain the minimum a points system is used
What are the selections based on?
The pool from which the selections are based, take a number of variables into account.
Some of the following factors are considered:
• The quality in the pool
• The amount of places available in the Skilled/Business stream of the New Zealand Residence programme
• The sum total of the expressions of interest in the pool at the time of selection.
What additional information should I consider?
Sufficient amounts of available, additional expression of interests may be chosen on the basis of additional selection criteria, according to the Minister of Immigration every six months.
Your expression of interest will remain in the pool for the duration of six months or until a selection takes place. If it hasn’t been selected during this six month period, it will be withdrawn. You will then need to submit another expression and pay the fee again right from the start.
How can we help you?
At Intergate Immigration we offer a comprehensive and wide range of quality immigration to New Zealand services.
One of the best places to start is right at the beginning. Too many people start at the wrong “starting block” and end up wasting huge sums of money, time and energy.
We do not want you to waste your time, money and energy and that is why we highly recommend that you obtain a New Zealand immigration assessment. This is the best place to start.
Please be assured that we are fully licensed and are fully compliant with all the New Zealand immigration laws and procedures.
- Published in News, Working in New Zealand
Visa Changes for South African Nationals Visiting New Zealand
Immigration New Zealand today announced visa changes for South African nationals:
As of 21 November 2016, all South African nationals visiting New Zealand will require a visitor visa.
Why have these visa changes for South African nationals been made?
At the moment, people from South Africa do not need to apply for a visitor visa before travelling to New Zealand, with genuine visitors being granted a visitor visa on arrival.
Unfortunately there has been an increase in the number of South African nationals who have been refused entry at the New Zealand border in comparison to other visa waiver countries.
This has lead to Immigration New Zealand’s decision to make it compulsory for South African nationals to apply for visitors visa before travelling to New Zealand to visit the country.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) General Manager Peter Elms says “We are committed to creating an immigration system that actively welcome and encourages legitimate visitors to New Zealand, but at the same time is able to prevent those who do not meet immigration requirements. These changes bring New Zealand into line with countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.”
How do these visa changes affect my travels?
If you have a trip to New Zealand booked for travel on or after 21 November, you have to now apply for a visitor visa. Do it sooner rather than later, as Immigration New Zealand’s advice is to apply for a visitor visa at least 6 weeks prior to your travel date.
Should you be travelling to New Zealand before 21 November, you do not need to apply for a visitor visa. You will be granted a visa on arrival, provided you meet the requirements.
Should you still have questions, please feel free to contact us. Our agents will be happy to clear up any confusion.
- Published in News
Recent Changes to the New Zealand Emigration Process
There has been a lot of press, Facebook talk and, to be honest, misinformation regarding the recent changes to the New Zealand emigration process.
So below we give you the lowdown on what exactly this could mean for you and your plans:
The Expression of Interest
The 100 points required to make an Expression of Interest application has not changed. In reality, even if a person scored between 100 and 140 points, their Expression of Interest was not going to get selected unless they had a job offer.
Automatic selection of your Expression of Interest
From a level of 140 points, even without a job offer, applicants would previously have been selected and issued with an invitation to apply. Those scoring between 100 and 139 points with a job offer would also have been selected.
This has changed – applicants will now need 160 points to receive an invitation to apply. This applies whether you have a job offer or not.
Proof of English
All applicants apart from the below will now need an English language test:
- Citizenship of Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America, provided the applicant has spent at least five years in work or education in one or more of these countries or Australia or New Zealand; or
- A recognised qualification comparable to a New Zealand level 7 bachelor’s degree, gained in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America as a result of study undertaken for at least two academic years in one or more of those countries; or
- A recognised qualification comparable to a New Zealand qualification at level 8 or above, gained in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America as a result of study undertaken for at least one academic year in one or more of those countries.
Background
Without lurching into politics, the reality is that INZ want to keep a hold on the number of migrants that are obtaining residency via the skilled migrant scheme. One can also ascertain that INZ want to ensure that those who do obtain residency have a suitable position in place in which to work (and of course then pay taxes and contribute to the New Zealand economy).
This pressure has been brought about by the number of migrants securing residency in New Zealand. Further pressure is being applied by the labour government for work visas. When Minister of Immigration, Michael Woodhouse, was asked how many of the 209,000 work visas issued last year were for occupations on the Essential Skills in Demand list, the answer was around 8% only.
What difference has this made to your approach for New Zealand migration?
New Zealand need migrants and have many areas with skill shortages. This means New Zealand still need to attract foreigners to fill certain positions – and it still wants to.
As we have said time and again though, New Zealand want to attract the right sort of foreigners. Primarily this would be those on the Essential Skills in Demand list. This is the long term skilled shortage list and immediate skilled shortage list.
We have always advocated a step-by-step approach in our migration advice – one that gives you the facts, a clear way forward if one exists, one that explains the risks you may encounter and minimizes your financial risk. We are also very aware of the fact that our role is to remove as many obstacles as possible for you to secure employment in New Zealand.
Hopping on a plane to New Zealand and hoping for the best is not the way to go – it’s expensive and a bit like making a cake for the first time with no recipe to follow!
Sending out your CV to all and sundry rarely works either.
Immigrating to New Zealand is a process and as such you need to enter into it determined and with your eyes wide open.
In summary you should always follow the below steps:
- Get formally assessed by a licensed immigration agent. This will include your points score and migration pathway. It’s the least expensive and most important part of the migration process.
- Look at what formalities need to be taken care of, such as NZQA’s, professional or trade registrations and English language tests.
- Get a job support and migration pack from your licensed agent.
- Be prepared to go to New Zealand to job hunt for a few weeks at least – on the correct Look, Search and Decide visa (not a tourist one).
Find if you qualify for to immigrate to New Zealand
Book a consultation call to find out if you meet the requirements to move to New Zealand.
You’ll also discover how the application process works and what the costs and timelines are.
Our licensed advisors are registered with the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA) of New Zealand, so you can rest assured that you’re getting advice you can trust.
- Published in New Zealand Immigration Advice, News, Your Visa Application