Immigration New Zealand (INZ) settings have been updated, and more changes are on the way. This message summarizes the most important modifications.
1. Open Partnership Work Visas
From December 2022, Accredited Employer Work Visas (AEWV) holders will no longer be able to work with Open Partnership Work Visa (OPWV) partners. Exceptions include if the AEWV holder satisfies Green List criteria or earns at least double the median wage (currently $55.52 per hour). As soon as feasible, we recommend applying for an AEWV and a Partnership Work visa using these criteria.
2. Vaccination and testing requirements
Travelers to New Zealand do not need to be immunized against COVID-19 or undergo testing prior to arrival. Traveler statements are still necessary.
3. Physical passport verification
Recently, the need for offshore nationals to send their physical passports to a Visa Application Center has been lifted temporarily so that INZ can clear a backlog of applications. You may ignore any automated emails requesting your physical passport; however, if you receive an email from a case officer, please follow its instructions.
4. Acceptable standard of health requirements
The amount needed to establish whether an applicant has a good enough health condition for settlement has increased from $41,000 to $81,000. This is evaluated over a five-year period, or the duration of a medical issue. This is a good change that will allow more people to fulfill the residence requirements in terms of health.
The list of conditions that are assumed to require expensive medical services or be a significant strain on New Zealand’s resources has not been updated yet.
5. Sector agreements
Negotiated agreements to avoid the median wage threshold will be put into place beginning October 2022. These are typically only in effect for two years and permit employees from these sectors to earn below the median wage:
- Care Workers earning at least $26.16 hourly.
- Construction Workers earning at least $25 hourly.
- Meat Processing Workers earning at least $24 hourly. This is capped at 320 workers over a two year period and will only result in 7 month AEWVs.
- Seafood Processing Workers (onshore) earning at least $24 hourly. This is capped at 600 onshore and will only result in 7 month AEWVs.
- Seafood Processing Workers (sea-based) earning at least $25.20 hourly, with incremental increases. This is capped at 940 and will only result in 12 month AEWVs.
- Seasonal Snow and Adventure Tourism Workers earning at least $25 hourly, with incremental increases. These will be issued for 7 months.
There are many jobs in these general occupation groupings. If you want to avoid visa duration limitations and stand-down periods, simply increase the hourly rate at renewal stage to equal or exceed the median wage.
6. Job Checks + AEWVs
AEWVs have been granted to more than 1100 people since the category opened, but they are being assessed in ADEPT (INZ’s new online portal) while family members are still processed in the old portal. This is keeping families apart and causing delays of up to a month for dependent visas.
Currently, a practical approach is being used to assess AWEV and Job Check applications. This includes approving applications that don’t meet all the requirements. However, this method will only be temporary as employers and individuals need time to get accustomed to the new system.
It’ll be intriguing to see how this inconsistency in decision-making turns out, for example if INZ were to raise issues with an employment contract that had been accepted previously with multiple job checks.
Failure to adhere to the promises made in your INZ application could result in a loss of accreditation or AEWV renewal.
7. Samoan Quota and Pacific Access Category
These are open again, from October 2022. Both categories have a quota.
8. Skilled Migrant Residence
We are hopeful that this will be reopened by the end of 2022.
9. Care Worker Work to Residence pathway
After working in New Zealand for 24 months, Care Workers at level 4 pay will have a residence path from October 2022.
10. Active Investor Plus category
The Active Investor Plus option was added this month as a new specialty. A separate alert will be sent on this new visa pathway.
Our opinion
Immigration is evolving at a rapid rate, and INZ is working hard to implement the New Zealand government’s policies.
The revised AEWV framework has a lot of hooks. As a result, it’s critical that employers adhere to the criteria carefully to avoid delays or losing skilled workers to jurisdictions with simpler immigration alternatives. It is our opinion that this new mechanism will not be significantly altered in the next year (significantly).