New Zealand Immigration News

Tier 1 Visa Points Calculator

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 18:40:00 +0100

Tier 1 Visa Points Calculator
Complete this quick online assessment to find out if you qualify for the UK Tier 1 Visa.

Immigration Opportunities for Skilled Migrants

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 14:50:00 +0100

Skilled Independent Migration has become increasingly popular with a number of countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Essentially, Skilled Independent Migration allows individuals with strong experience and/or education to migrate to another country with the right to work WITHOUT first needing to find an employer to sponsor a work permit.Skilled Independent Migration has become increasingly popular with a number of countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Essentially, Skilled Independent Migration allows individuals with strong experience and/or education to migrate to another country with the right to work WITHOUT first needing to find an employer to sponsor a work permit. This gets round the problems faced by people seeing great jobs that they cannot apply for because the employer is unwilling to sponsor their work permit.

The purpose of allowing people to enter the country with the right to work already gained is to encourage the entry of people with exactly the skills that the country needs. These visas tend to be more flexible for the individual as they do not tie the person to only one company.

United Kingdom
The Tier 1 Visa (formerly the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme or HSMP) is a points based system. Applicants are awarded points for their qualifications, age, experience and previous earnings and must be awarded a minimum of 75 points to qualify. The Tier 1 Visa allows for an initial 2-year period, with a further three year extension to be applied for at the end of the first year. This scheme has proved very popular since its creation. You can use an online points calculator to get an idea as to whether you are likely to qualify, such as the UK Tier 1 Visa Points Calculator

Canada
The Federal Skilled Worker Visa is again a points based system, but rather more complex than the UK version, with additional points being available in a wider range of areas. These can include points for having a relative in Canada, for having a job offer, for French and English language skills and more. This Visa takes a considerable time to be approved presently, but many feel that the opportunities available in Canada make the wait more than worthwhile. Again, there are online points calculators available to find out if you qualify, such as the Canada Skilled Worker Visa Points Calculator

Australia
Skilled Workers wishing to migrate to Australia face two main options - the full Skilled Worker Visa and the Skilled Independent Regional Visa. As its name suggests, the Regional Visa allows you to work in a specific region of Australia and is designed to encourage development of these areas specifically. The full Skilled Worker Visa allows you to work anywhere in Australia but requires you to gain a higher level of points. Again, these visas are more complex than the UK version.

New Zealand
New Zealand is working hard to encourage skilled migrants to move there and have lowered the pass mark from 195 points in 2004 to its current level of 100 points. As with Canada, having a close relative in New Zealand will gain you extra points and previous work experience gained in New Zealand can also gain you extra points.

For individuals with good education and/or experience, there is a strong initiative in these countries to try and encourage you to bring your skills and experience to their economies, representing increasing options available for individuals to experience different cultures and career opportunities.

Canada and Australia top Migration Poll

Thu, 07 Jul 2005 15:03:00 +0100

Young people would be better off moving either to Canada or Australia should they ever wish to emigrate....Young people would be better off moving either to Canada or Australia should they ever wish to emigrate.

These are the findings from a recent global opinion poll, conducted by the Pew Global Attitudes Project.

The survey, carried out on over 17,000 people in 16 countries, asked the question: Suppose a young person who wanted to leave this country asked you to recommend where to lead a good life, what country would you recommend?

Australia was the top choice of respondents from Britain (31 per cent) and Canada (18 per cent), while Americans and the French plumped for Canada (16 and 14 per cent respectively).

Both countries were the joint most recommended destinations for people from the Netherlands and Germany.

Britain was the top choice from those asked in Spain and Poland, while those from India overwhelmingly suggested the United States as a top emigration destination (38 per cent).

Somewhat surprisingly, not one of the 16 countries picked New Zealand as their top choice. The other countries to be recommended were Germany (by Turkey and Russia), China (by Pakistan), France (by Lebanon), Japan (by Indonesia), and the United Arab Emirates (by Jordan).

NZ Introduce New Investors Visa Category

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 15:27:00 +0100

The Minister of Immigration, Hon Paul Swain, today announced that a new Investor Category will take effect from 4 July 2005....

The Minister of Immigration, Hon Paul Swain, today announced that a new Investor Category will take effect from 4 July 2005.

The category grants residence to people with at least five years’ business experience who will retain NZ$2 million in an acceptable investment in New Zealand for five years. These investors must be willing to make New Zealand their main home by the end of the investment period.

Applicants will also have to meet health, age, English language and character requirements, as well as showing that they earned or gained their funds legally.

The new category involves a two-step process that, like the Skilled Migrant Category, involves applicants filling out an Expression of Interest in becoming a resident through investment. Immigration New Zealand will assess the Expressions of Interest and invite people who meet the criteria of the policy to apply for residence.

Investors can choose to keep their all funds with the New Zealand Government for five years or withdraw up to half the funds after two years if they can show the funds will be invested in a way that will benefit New Zealand. Any funds held by the Government will be allocated to infrastructure projects, through the Budget process.

The Minister of Immigration also announced today that the 'old' Investor Category is now closed. People who want to apply for residence under the new policy may make an Expression of Interest from 4 July 2005.

New Zealand Immigration and Work Permits

Changes to NZ Citizenship Criteria

Wed, 18 May 2005 15:31:00 +0100

The New Zealand Government have issued plans to increase the period of Residency needed before citizenship can be granted, in order to prove a migrant...The New Zealand Government have issued plans to increase the period of Residency needed before citizenship can be granted, in order to prove a migrants commitment to New Zealand.

Previously, applicants were expected to have at least 3 years of permanent resident status within New Zealand before applying for Citizenship. This has now been extended from 3 years to 5 years.

The New Zealand Government has also confirmed that children born in New Zealand will no longer be automatically entitled to become residents. The Identity Bill, which has now been passed in New Zealand parliament, means a child born in New Zealand will only be an automatic citizen if at least one parent is a permanent resident or citizen.

New Zealand Working Holidays for citizens of the Czech Republic

Wed, 23 Feb 2005 11:39:00 +0100

The Minster of immigration has announced today, that with effect from March 1st 2005, citizens of the Czech Republic can now come to New Zealand for a 12-month Working Holiday.New Zealand will grant 100 young citizens of the Czech Rep. Work Visas for a Working Holiday annually. The visa will be granted with the condition that you must not work for the same employer for more than 3 months. You will also be allowed to enrol in one or more training course for up to 3 months duration during your visit.

Further New Zealand Working Holiday Visa Information

New Zealand set to extend visa-free agreement

Wed, 22 Dec 2004 11:55:00 +0100

From April 1 2005 citizens travelling from the following countries will have visa-free status in New Zealand: Poland, Cyprus, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovakia. Up until now, citizens travelling from these countries could only enter New Zealand with Tourist Visas.Visitors from the countries listed above can now visit New Zealand for a period of three months without applying for a Tourist visa.

New Zealand now offers visa free status to more than 50 countries, and this contributes significantly to the economy.

Changes to the New Zealand Skilled Migrant Category

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 11:56:00 +0100

Changes to the Skilled Migrant Category were announced today and are set to take effect today. The enhancements have been introduced by the Minister of Immigration to give skilled migrants a better chance of meeting the current pass mark of 100 under the Expression of Interest point’s threshold.Applicant’s who have recently lodged EOI applications may even be considered and might be able to claim further points available as a result of the enhancements.

The following will now apply to the points test:

The points allocated to qualifications, work experience and skilled employment in the areas of absolute skill shortage, such as radiologists and automotive mechanics, have increased by five points.
The definition of skilled employment has been clarified. There is greater recognition of the expertise that individuals have gained through relevant qualifications or previous relevant work experience.
Employment can now be regarded as skilled if it requires considerable specialist, technical or managerial expertise and it is relevant to the applicant's recognised qualification, without the need for that job to be listed on the NZSCO. Also, the list of occupations generally regarded as skilled has been expanded.
Applicants without a job or a job offer but who have high potential to readily gain skilled employment can be granted permanent residence up front.
A wider range of trade qualifications is being recognised, where they meet industry needs. More level four qualifications that meet industry requirements are being recognised. Some level three qualifications in acceptable trades will also be recognised.
Applicants can now gain 10 points if they have a close family member who is in New Zealand and is a New Zealand citizen or resident.

Changes to the New Zealand Working Holiday Scheme

Tue, 23 Nov 2004 11:57:00 +0100

The Minister of Immigration has today announced a number of changes to the Working Holiday scheme, which are set to bring a record number of Working Holiday Makers to New Zealand.The changes include:

increasing the period of stay from 12 months to 23 months for citizens of the UK
allowing holiday makers from Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA to work for one employer for the duration of their visa, out ruling the previous requirement that you can only work for one employer for a period of 3 months at a time
removing the cap (which means there will be no upper limit on the amount of places) from the schemes for Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom
increasing the overall number of working holidaymakers allowed into New Zealand
dividing an extra 10,000 places between the schemes for Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway and the USA

The changes will take effect from July 1 st 2005.

TB Testing for Visitors to New Zealand

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 11:59:00 +0100

Visitors who plan to visit New Zealand from a high incidence TB country will be tested for TB if they plan to stay for a period of longer than 6 months. Applicants who have also visited high incidence TB countries for a combined period of three months 5 years immediately before making an application will also need to be tested.These changes take effect from November 2004.

If you plan to stay for a period of 12 months or more, you will need to attend a full medical with one of the listed New Zealand Panel doctors.