Smart Immigration

**Update From Immigration

From 27 January 2025

Accredited employers will no longer need to complete Employment New Zealand’s online modules or offer migrants paid time to do these. This also applies to Recognised Seasonal Employers.
The percentage of New Zealanders that certain construction sector businesses must employ will reduce from 35 per cent to 15 per cent.

In March 2025

- Wage thresholds for all AEWV roles will be removed. Employers still need to advertise and offer AEWV employees the market rate for their position and workplace location. This change does not affect existing employment agreements. There are no changes to the wages that AEWV workers must earn to apply for residence.
- Migrants will need to demonstrate 2 years of relevant work experience, instead of 3 years currently.
- Employers will no longer have to provide evidence of engagement with Work and Income in their Job Check. They will need to declare they have advertised lower-skilled roles with Work and Income, and interviewed appropriate candidates.
- The AEWV duration for new migrants in a lower-skilled role will increase to 3 years, to align with the maximum time they can stay in New Zealand on an AEWV. Those currently on two-year visas will be able to apply for a further year.
- AEWV migrants will need to earn at least NZ$55,844 a year to bring children, along with meeting other criteria. This threshold has not been updated since 2019.
**Further detail and an implementation date will be released in early 2025.

Other changes announced today include:

- From April 2025, some work and student visa holders who apply for an AEWV can receive an Interim Visa that allows them to work while their AEWV application is processed.
- In mid-2025, a new Job Check process will be in place, to allow for greater streamlining for low-risk employers and improve processing timeframes.
- In November 2025, two new pathways for seasonal workers will be introduced, including a 3-year multi-entry visa for experience workers and a 7-month single entry visa for lesser-skilled workers. The existing temporary seasonal pathways will remain available until then.

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IMMIGRATION UPDATE

The New Zealand border will be fully reopened by 1 August 2022.

All work visa categories, including the new Accredited Employer Work Visa, will open for applications on 4 July 2022.

At 23:59 (NZST) on 31 July 2022 the maritime border will reopen, as will applications for student and visitor visas.

Accredited Employer Work Visa

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is being introduced on 4 July 2022.

The visa will be available mainly to workers earning over the median wage. From 4 July the median wage will be $27.76 per hour.

The Essential Skills Work Visa will close to applications on 3 July 2022.

From December 2022, most partners of temporary migrant workers will need to qualify for their own AEWV or Visitor Visa.

In 2023, we will require all employers to be accredited to employ any migrant, including those with open work rights (such as working holidaymakers or students).

A new GREEN LIST of occupations will make it easier for employers to hire and attract migrants for specified high-skilled, hard-to-fill occupations, including in the construction, engineering, trades, health, and ICT sectors.

Transition arrangements will allow for certain roles within construction, care, tourism and hospitality sectors to be recruited at rates slightly lower than median wage.

If the role is on this list an employer can complete the job check without proof of advertising as long as the minimum requirements for the role at least match the minimum requirements on this list.

The Green List also provides a fast-track to residence and a work to residence pathway. More information about these residence pathways will be provided soon.

All qualifications listed as requirements are based on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) unless stated otherwise.

Occupations that have a fast-track to residence

- Construction roles
- Engineering roles
- Health and social services roles
- Primary industries and science roles
- ICT, electronics and telecommunications roles
- Health and Social services
- Trades roles
- Agriculture Roles

If you are eligible and have work in any of these jobs you can come to New Zealand on a work visa from 4 July 2022 and apply for residence from September 2022. Minimum salary requirements will apply for some jobs and will change with the median wage each year.

We will provide more information about eligibility and the application process for residence soon.

INZ will email eligible visa holders by the end of the month (May 2022). Online records for the new visas and extensions will be updated by 25 May 2022.

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Accredited Employer Work Visa announcement:

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Applications for the next phase of the 2021 Resident Visa will open from 10am on 1 March 2022. Those eligible will be able to apply online any time from then until 31 July 2022.

There is no advantage to submitting an application in the first week. Applications made in the enhanced Immigration Online system received from 1 March will be held in our system. We will not start processing these until the end of March.

Applications will then be released for processing in order of the principal applicant’s current visa expiry date at the time of their 2021 Resident Visa application.

Our enhanced Immigration Online system has been designed to cope with more applications, as this is expected under Phase 2.

However, there is still a maximum number of people that can use the system at one time.

When the Immigration Online system reaches maximum capacity, people already using the system will be able to submit their applications. However, those who try to log on will be advised to try again later or will be asked to wait until a space becomes available.

We encourage you to be patient and to come back later, or the next day. We would like to make it clear that there is no advantage to applying on the first day or in the first few weeks.

There is no limit to the number of applications a person can submit each day in the enhanced Immigration Online system.

This means you do not have to apply for 'High Volume User' status.

A new form on the enhanced Immigration Online system for all other applicants. Payment is required upfront if applying on this form.

For further updates - Contact Martina on 02108115415
www.smartimmigration.co.nz

Immigration advice | Smart Immigration | New Zealand Best Licensed Immigration Advisor in Auckland. Fall in love with New Zealand and its Beauty and help us help you achieve your dream.

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2021 Resident Visa application process update

The 2021 Resident visa will be open for applications in two phases, with the first group of people able to apply from 1 December 2021.

From 1 December 2021 you can apply if:

you have already applied for residence under the Skilled Migrant or Residence from Work categories on or before 29 September 2021, or
you have submitted a Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest, and have included your dependent child in the Expression of Interest aged 17 years or older on 29 September 2021.
From 1 March 2022 all other eligible applicants can apply, including all others who have submitted a Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest.

All applications must be made by 31 July 2022.

Applications can only be submitted online.

As part of the online application process, Phase one applicants must enter their Skilled Migrant Category, Residence from Work application or Expression of Interest number before they can proceed with their application. The application number can only be used for one application.

If you are eligible to apply from 1 December 2021 you will receive an email from Immigration New Zealand by the end of October with more information.

Visa conditions

The visa conditions for the 2021 Resident Visa will be the same as other resident visa holders, including standard travel conditions.

As is standard for resident visa holders, people need to apply for permanent residence to be able to travel in and out of New Zealand with no restrictions or conditions.

Fees and refunds

The total of cost of the 2021 Resident Visa will be $2,160 including GST. This includes a $1,330 application fee and $830 immigration levy.

Immigration New Zealand operates on a cost-recovery basis and the visa application fee paid by the applicant covers the cost of Immigration New Zealand processing the application.

If you have already submitted a Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest or Residence from Work application you will only have to pay the difference between what you have already paid and cost of the 2021 Resident Visa, provided you withdraw your previous application or EOI. If you have submitted a Skilled Migrant Category application, you will be refunded the difference if you withdraw your previous application.

If you have already paid for a Skilled Migrant Category application or Expression of Interest, a Resident from Work application the process will be:

You will not need to pay the fee upfront when you submit your application.
You must pay the application fee once an in-principle decision has been made on your application.
You must pay the application fee before the application is completed and the final decision is communicated.
A fee is payable whether the application is approved or declined.
You will have the option to withdraw your Skilled Migrant Category or Residence from Work application and receive a refund, which can be credited towards the 2021 Resident Visa application fee.
Residence from Work applicants and people who have submitted an Expression of Interest must pay the difference between the application fees before the 2021 Resident Visa application is completed.
Skilled Migrant Category applicants will be refunded the difference between the two application fees, if they agree to withdraw their onhand Skilled Migrant Category application.
Only the fee part of the application cost will be required. If you have already paid a levy with a previous Skilled Migrant Category or Residence from Work application, you will not need to pay the levy again.
If you do not choose to withdraw your other skilled residence application, you must pay the full application fee because we need to recover the costs of processing both the 2021 Resident Visa, and the Skilled Migrant Category/Residence from Work application. You will not need to pay another levy.
Dependent children aged 25 and over applying under this category will not need to pay a separate fee or levy.

The process for refunds for those who may be entitled to one is to be decided.

Processing timeframes
It is expected the majority of applications will be processed within 12 months, with most being processed much faster.

This page will be updated regularly with the latest processing times and information.

Appeals

If your application for residence is declined you will have the same appeal rights as any residence visa applicant. You will be able to appeal to the independent Immigration and Protection Tribunal. If you are not eligible for the new residence pathway you can explore other visa options if you want to stay in New Zealand permanently.

If you are not eligible for the 2021 Resident Visa you may still be eligible for further temporary work visas.

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