Good News for Future immigrants to New Zealand Wages have been increased
- February 27, 2023
- Posted by: ASIFCONSULTING
- Category: News Update
Good news for future New Zealand immigrants Average Wages have been increased:
Migrants applying for the AEWV must meet the wage threshold in effect at the time of application. This means that if the wage threshold rises between the time the job check is approved and the time the migrant applies for the visa, the migrant may be required to meet a higher wage threshold than was approved in the job check pay range.
For example, suppose an employer receives a paycheck on November 1, 2022, based on the current median wage of $27.76.
Wage thresholds were previously updated on a regular basis, but not always at the same time each year.
In February 2023, a standard process will be implemented in which the median wage is adopted in immigration instructions. This will be based on the previous year’s June rate published by Statistics New Zealand.
Because of the timing, people will have plenty of time to prepare for the changes. The tool for calculating the median wage will also be updated in advance.
Many tourism and hospitality roles have also been exempt from the AEWV’s median wage threshold, with a lower wage threshold of $25 per hour until April 2023.
This is a temporary exception to recognize that these businesses have already been severely impacted by Covid-19.
The government is still supporting the industry and has decided to phase out another exemption to the median wage threshold in two stages.
The exception will vanish in April 2024, and these positions will be required to be paid 100% of the national average wage.
Pathways open to make New Zealand home
Today, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced that applications for the Green List Straight to Residence pathway will be accepted beginning today. Minister Wood also confirmed this year’s refugee quota as well as key decisions for the Refugee Quota Program’s next three years.
This announcement backs up the commitment to a responsive and streamlined immigration system that will help relieve workforce shortages while also providing meaningful humanitarian assistance.
Visit the Beehive website to read the minister’s full announcement.
The streamlined pathway will aid in addressing skilled labor shortages.
Confirmation of this year’s refugee quota, including increases in international allocations to the Middle East and Africa, as well as emergency/urgent resettlement places
The number of places specifically designated for Afghan refugees has been increased, with 200 being allocated in 2022 or 2023.
Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced that the government is delivering on its promise of a responsive and streamlined immigration system to help relieve workforce shortages while also providing meaningful humanitarian assistance.
From today, eligible skilled migrants with a job or a job offer in specific roles on the Straight to Residence pathway will be able to apply for residence both onshore and offshore.
“The Straight to Residence pathway provides an incentive for migrants who have skills in hard-to-fill, nationally significant roles that New Zealand requires to accelerate our economic growth,” Michael Wood said.
“This new pathway offers potential migrants, like health practitioners, engineers, construction and infrastructure workers, and IT professionals, more certainty. The streamlined process makes it easier for employers to attract and start hiring people who will help address skills shortages in these high-demand fields.
“This is one of three new residence pathways introduced as a component of the president’s immigration rebalancing.” “Skilled migrants on the ‘Work to Residence’ and ‘Highly Paid’ resident pathways will be able to apply to begin September 29, 2023, after completing 24 months of acceptable work in New Zealand,” Michael Wood said.
The government has also confirmed the details of the Refugee Quota Program’s next three years, including the composition of the 2022/23 quota.
“The Refugee Quota Programme reflects New Zealand’s international humanitarian commitments to provide protection to people who are unable to safely return to their home country,” Michael Wood explained.
“The program is home safely at its full capacity and will resettle 1,500 refugees each year.
“This year, the proportion of places allocated to three of the four regions is constantly evolving to ensure we are greatest responding to the resettlement needs of each region.” For illustration, in both the Middle East and Africa, we raised the proportion of places allotted to refugees from 15% to 20%.
Given the massive scale and duration of the Syrian refugee crisis, as well as the coordinated international resettlement efforts, 200 establishments will be allocated among the 1,500 intakes to resettle Syrian refugees, including Kurdish minorities, in Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon.
“We are also pleased to be able to increase the number of emergency and urgent resettlement places for the quota from 35 to 100, and we are also bringing forward the 200 places specifically set aside for Afghan refugees as a result of the Taliban takeover in 2021 to 200 places for the 2022–23 period.”
“In addition to these places, Afghan refugees can be considered for resettlement in New Zealand as part of the quota’s regional and global allocations.”
In addition to these places, Afghan refugees may be taken into account for resettlement in New Zealand under the quota’s international allocations.
“These changes ensure that the program remains responsive to the protection needs of refugees who come to New Zealand,” said Michael Wood.
Green List Skilled Resident Visa
These are the ones on the date you apply for your residence visa:
You are 55 or younger; you, and if applicable, your partner, and dependent children aged 16 or over, meet the English language requirements; and you, as well as your partner, and dependent children in your application meet the health and character requirements for residence.
The pathway from the Green List to Residence
Registered nurses and midwives will transition from the Work to Residence Green List to the Straight to Residence Green List on December 15, 2022. All doctors will be eligible for the Straight to Residence program.
Auditors will also be added to the Straight to Residence Green List path which will begin in March 2023.
The pathway from Work to Residence
It was also announced that beginning in March 2023, the following occupations will be added to the Work to Residence Green List pathway:
- Civil construction managers
- Gasfitters
- Drainlayers
- Crane operators with extensive experience
- Civil machine operators who are highly skilled
- Halal slaughterhouses
- Expert motor mechanics
- Telecommunications technicians who are highly skilled
- Every secondary school educator (in addition to the specializations already on the Green List)
- Teachers of primary school
Green List, Highly Paid, & Care Workforce
Residence Categories
Following up on the Immigration Rebalance announcement made earlier this year in May, the government is introducing three new residence categories that will make it easier for employers to hire and attract migrants for specific high-skilled and hard-to-fill occupations.
They are as follows:
- Straight to the house
- From Work to Home
- Richly compensated
The first two are for Green List occupations, which allow employers to complete a Job Check for the Accredited Employer Work Visa without providing proof of advertising if the role’s minimum requirements are met.
The new Highly Paid Resident Visa is designed for people earning twice the national average.In addition to the above categories, the Care Workforce Work to Residence Category was created in response to labor shortages in the care sector. This visa category is for those who work in a care workforce sector occupation, are paid at least NZD $28.25 per hour, and have worked in that role for at least 24 months in New Zealand.
People with the skills to contribute to New Zealand’s economic growth are encouraged to apply for this visa.
To apply, send INZ an Expression of Interest (EOI) detailing your employment in New Zealand, work experience, and qualifications. INZ evaluates your EOI using a points-based system, and if it is successful, they will offer you the opportunity to apply to live and work in New Zealand.
Length of stay
Indefinitely
Age Range
55 years or under
With this visa, you can
- Live, work, and study in New Zealand.
- Include your partner, and dependent children aged 24 and under, in your residence application
Talent (Accredited Employer) Resident Visa
This visa is for people who have been employed in New Zealand by an accredited employer for more than 2 years.
If you have ongoing employment with an accredited employer and you earn at least the minimum base salary that was in place when you applied for your Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa, you may be eligible for this resident visa.
Length of stay
Indefinitely
With this visa you can
- Live, work, and study in New Zealand.
- Include your partner and dependent children, aged 24 and under, in your residence application.
Things to note
- To apply for this visa, you must hold a Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa and have worked for an accredited employer for two years. Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa closes to new applications on 31 October 2021.
- If you changed your employer while on a Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa, you must have had your visa conditions varied.
- If you have yet to take up a job offer from an accredited employer, you may consider applying for a Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa.
- The salary you must meet is higher if you apply for your Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa after 6 October 2019.
Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa
Length of stay
Indefinitely
With this visa, you can
- Live, work, and study in New Zealand.
- Include dependent children, aged 24 and under, in your visa application.
Things to note
- If your partner’s New Zealand residence is based on their Australian citizenship, Australian permanent residence or resident return visa, you can only apply for this visa if your partner lives in New Zealand.
- If your partner is a New Zealand citizen and the two of you have been living together outside of New Zealand for 5 years or more, you may be granted a permanent resident visa. Your partner will need to be either overseas when you apply or have been back in New Zealand for less than 3 months.
Resident Visa for Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports)
This visa is intended for holders of Talent (Arts, Culture, and Sports) Work Visas who have been actively involved in their declared field of exceptional talent in New Zealand for more than two years.
You may be eligible for this resident visa if you are still prominent in that field and your continued presence will benefit New Zealand’s achievements.
Duration of stay
Indefinitely
You can live, work, and study in New Zealand with this visa.
Include in your residence application your partner and dependent children aged 24 and under.
Take note of the following:
To apply for this visa, you must be in possession of a Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa and have been actively involved in your declared field of talent for at least two years.
You must remain prominent in your declared field of talent and be capable of improving the quality of New Zealand’s achievements in that field.
In your declared field of talent, you must have an acceptable sponsor and support from a New Zealand organization of national repute.
Entrepreneur Resident Visa
This visa is for people who have been self-employed in New Zealand at least 6 months, or have operated a business for two years on another visa that allows self-employment.
Length of stay
Indefinitely
With this visa you can
- Continue to operate your own business in New Zealand.
- Live, work and study in New Zealand.
- Include your partner, and dependent children aged 24 and under, in your visa application.
Visa for Parental Residency in Retirement
You can apply to live permanently in New Zealand if you have an adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident.
You’ll need an NZ $60,000 annual income plus NZ $1 million to invest for four years and another NZ $500,000 to live on.
You will be eligible for permanent residence once you have completed the 4-year investment period.
Duration of stay
If you meet the visa requirements, you can stay indefinitely.
You can live, work, and study in New Zealand with this visa.
Include your partner’s information in your visa application.
After four years of keeping your funds invested in New Zealand, you can apply for permanent residency.
Parent Resident Visa
If you have an adult New Zealand citizen or resident child who earns enough and agrees to sponsor you, you may be able to live in New Zealand permanently length of stay
Indefinitely
With this visa you can
- Live, work and study in New Zealand.
- Include your partner in your residence application.
Things to note
- 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.
Visa for Dependent Child Resident
You can bring your dependent children to live with you in New Zealand if you are a New Zealand citizen or resident.
If your children are granted residency, they will be able to live, study, and work in New Zealand.
Duration of stay
If you meet the visa requirements, you can stay indefinitely.
Age Group
24 years old or younger
You can bring your dependent children to New Zealand to live with you if you have this visa.They, too, can study or work here if they are of legal age.
Take note of the following:
If your children were eligible for New Zealand residency under the Family Quota, Refugee Family Support Category, Samoa Quota Scheme, or Pacific Access Category but were not included in your application, you can apply for them again.
They are not eligible for this visa based on their residence application.
We may ask you to explain why your children were eligible for New Zealand residence under any other category but were not included in your residence application.
Some children of New Zealand citizens or residents are naturalized New Zealand citizens. If your child is a citizen, he or she does not need to apply for permanent residence.
Resident Visa for Long-Term Skill Shortage
You may be able to apply for this resident visa if you have a Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa and have worked in New Zealand for more than two years.
Duration of stay – Indefinitely
You can live, work, and study in New Zealand with this visa.
Include in your residence application your partner and dependent children aged 24 and under.
Take note of the following:
You must have a Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa and have worked in New Zealand for more than two years to apply for this visa.
You must be employed full-time in an occupation that was on the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) at the time you were granted a visa
Relocating Business Resident Visa Employees
If you are a key employee of a company relocating to New Zealand and are not eligible for any other resident visa, you can apply for this one.
Duration of stay –
Indefinitely
With this visa, you can work for the company with which you are relocating.
Bring your partner and any dependents.
After meeting the conditions of your visa, you can live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely.
Take note of the following:
Before we grant you a resident visa, we may grant you a work visa to allow you to relocate the business.
We may grant visitor or student visas to your partner and dependent children if you include them in your application.
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