Clockwork Visa Services

NZ Employers: Are You Ready for INZ to Drop In?
“Regulators carried out 147 visits across the North Island, uncovering breaches of employment standards, cash payments, poor record‑keeping and potential exploitation.”
“Immigration Compliance officers were on site to check visa conditions and employer obligations.”
These aren’t random checks — they’re a clear signal that INZ and MBIE are actively verifying whether Accredited Employers are meeting every commitment they signed up to.
If they walked into your workplace today, could you confidently demonstrate compliance?
Clockwork can help you get audit‑ready before INZ arrives

Red List Occupations – Important SMC Update
INZ has now confirmed the Red List under the new Skilled Migrant Category settings coming in August 2026.
If you work in one of these occupations, you cannot use the new Trades & Technician or Skilled Work Experience pathways.
You can still apply for residence, but only if you can claim 6 points under the existing SMC pathway.

This may be achieved through:
• earning at least 1.5 × the SMC median wage,
• holding a Bachelor’s degree (Level 7) or higher, or
• having a recognised occupational registration,
plus meeting the required skilled NZ work experience.

Red List Occupations
Generic Management Roles
• Hospitality, Retail and Service Manager (nec)
• Retail Manager
Health & Beauty Roles
• Beauty Therapist
• Massage Therapist
• Hairdresser
• Hair and Beauty Salon Manager
These roles are not eligible for the new pathways and must continue under the standard SMC points system.
If you’re in a Red List occupation and unsure how this affects your residence plan, now is the time to review your strategy.

Median wage increases to $35 for applications lodged from 9 March 2026. I still have space to take on a few more clients for management and lodgment ahead of this date but time is short email [email protected]