New Zealand
New Zealand is a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean consisting of 2 main islands, both marked by volcanoes and glaciers. Capital Wellington, on the North Island, is home to Te Papa Tongarewa, the expansive national museum. Wellington’s dramatic Mt. Victoria, along with the South Island’s Fiordland and Southern Lakes, stood in for mythical Middle Earth in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” films. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilo metres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilo metres (600 mi) south of the Pacific Island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life. The country’s varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand’s capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland.
The Skilled Migration category is core to the New Zealand Immigration strategy. The Skilled Migration category offers individuals the opportunity to immigrate to New Zealand by helping boost the New Zealand skilled workforce.
This category was designed to minimize the risk of a mismatch between the skills migrants bring and the skills New Zealand needs. Migration under this category follows a step-by-step application process, from the initial assessment of ability to the settlement stage in New Zealand.
If you are a highly skilled worker, your application to New Zealand may be processed much faster due to new work policy changes.
The new Essential Skills work policy separates occupations into highly skilled and lower skilled levels. Those applying for highly skilled visas may now be eligible for a temporary work permit, rather than a permanent residency visa.
If you are a highly skilled worker and are applying for a skill level one occupation that earns over $55,000, you can now be granted a five year work permit, rather than having to apply for a Residence Visa. You can also apply for three-year extensions to your permit, provided the need for your skill still exists at the time of application.
To be eligible to immigrate to New Zealand you must:
- Be under the age of 56 years;
- Meet the health, character & English language requirements
- Be able to meet the threshold of 100 points in the Points System to register an Expression of Interest.
- A Residence Visa allowing you to enter New Zealand. It must be used within 12 months of the date of issue, and cannot be renewed or extended. If you do not travel to New Zealand within the 12 months, the visa will expire and you will have to reapply for residence; and
- A Residence Permit issued on your arrival to New Zealand, allowing you to remain in the country permanently; or
- A Work Permit allowing you to remain in the country for five years, after which you can apply for multiple three-year extensions to stay legally in the country.
Job Offers and Skilled Trades or Professions
- While the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS) looks favourably on those who already have a job offer in New Zealand in a skilled profession, it is not a requirement to qualify for migration under this category.
- Nurses, Social Workers, Engineers, Motor Mechanics, Electricians, Welders, Fabricators and Metal Workers are in particularly high demand in New Zealand.
- Workers in these professions may be able to qualify quickly without a job offer.