For many people, the holiday season is a time to spend with family and friends. However, during the past couple of years, restrictions related to COVID-19 have made it difficult for many people to travel. The New Zealand Government understands the challenges this has created, and they have made some changes to immigration instructions that will help people reunite with their loved ones.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is making changes so that 2021 Interim Visa holders can travel overseas. INZ has announced that applicants will now be able to travel on Interim Visa by requesting a new temporary visa to travel overseas while their 2021 Resident Visa application is being processed. If granted a temporary visa to travel overseas, the applicant will be able to leave and re-enter New Zealand as many times as they want for the duration of the visa. If you hold a 2021 Interim Visa, you can request a visa to travel so you can leave and return to New Zealand on the same visa. Your request will be considered under section 79(5) of the Immigration Act 2009. INZ will continue to process your 2021 Resident Visa while you are overseas. Source: Immigration New Zealand website It is important to know that if the applicant does not request a new visa before they leave, their 2021 Interim Visa will expire. To return to New Zealand for work or study, one would need to apply for a new visa or wait until your 2021 Resident Visa is approved. Immigration New Zealand is committed to helping people stay connected with their families, and this update is one way of doing so.
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Changes have been made to immigration instructions to increase the cap on the number of Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) visas that may be approved to 19,000 for the 2022-23 year.
Changes have been made to the Skilled Migrant Category immigration instructions ahead of the first Expression of Interest (EOI) selection on 9 November 2022.
Changes have been made to allow:
These changes are effective on and after 25 October 2022. Changes have been made to immigration instructions to resume the selection of Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) expressions of interest (EOIs). Immigration instructions have been amended to: • allow selections from the SMC EOI Pool (the Pool) to resume • increase the points threshold for selections from the Pool to 180 points after 9 November 2022 • update skilled employment requirements to reflect the 2021 median wage rate of $27.76 in line with other visa categories. All amendments will take effect on and after 24 October 2022. Planning to apply for an SMC Visa?Numerous visa scams target immigrants who are looking to move to New Zealand. It's important to be aware of these scams, so you don't become a victim. Some of the most common scams include fake job ads, offers for free visas, and schemes that require payment for a visa application. We have seen that someone or an entity from India is constantly trying to scam people by claiming they can get them visas for New Zealand using our firm. A few months back, we got a notification of schemes offering "New Zealand Visa" through our company name and using other methods, such as offering jobs under false pretences. Just recently, another person contacted us to verify the legitimacy of his visa, which we found to be fake. Immigration Trust is not affiliated with any person or company in IndiaWe urge everyone to exercise caution when dealing with unfamiliar people or companies and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities. If you're thinking about moving to New Zealand, keep in mind the following: 1. Do your research When you are looking for an immigration lawyer or adviser, make sure to do your research. Check https://iaa.ewr.govt.nz/PublicRegister/Search.aspx if you are going to engage with a licensed immigration adviser. This is to ensure that the person is actually licensed and has an active one. There are a lot of scams out there, and you don’t want to end up being a victim. You can start by looking for reviews of lawyers or advisers online. If you know someone who has used an immigration lawyer or consultant before, ask them for a recommendation. 2. Be wary of promises of guaranteed results No one can guarantee results when it comes to immigration matters. If someone tells you they can guarantee that you will get a visa or that your case will be approved, they are likely trying to scam you. The reality is that there are no guarantees when it comes to immigration, so be cautious of anyone who tries to give you one. 3. Get everything in writing Before you hire an immigration lawyer or adviser, make sure to get everything in writing. This includes the scope of their services, their fees, and any guarantees they may be making. This will help to protect you if something goes wrong. Don’t let the fear of visa scammers hold you back from your dream of moving to New Zealand. With a bit of research and preparation, you can avoid becoming a victim yourself. Once you know what to look for, it will be much easier to protect yourself. If you need help with any stage of the visa process, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to help make your move to New Zealand as smooth and stress-free as possible. Previous Blogs about this Scam:It was recently revealed that the New Zealand government has been working with an Israeli-based surveillance firm called Cobwebs Technologies. The company has been accused of spying on people and has been kicked off Facebook. While the government has not revealed all of the details of its relationship with Cobwebs, it has been confirmed that Immigration New Zealand is one of the agencies involved.
Meta, formerly Facebook, reported it had identified "customers" of Cobwebs in at least seven countries including New Zealand. The OIA documents released this week show Immigration NZ has been a customer of Cobwebs for about two years. Reference:https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/476506/immigration-nz-enlists-cyber-mercenaries-banned-from-facebook-to-covertly-collect-data Immigration authorities in New Zealand have been using a controversial surveillance tool to monitor the social media activity of people applying for visas. The tool sifts through public posts and uses artificial intelligence to collect data including people's "political information" and "religious preference" as well as banking, health and family relationships information for immigration. It is unclear how extensively the tool has been used or what criteria Immigration NZ has used to determine who should be placed under surveillance. Skilled Migrant Category reopens, consultation on future beginsSelections of expressions of interest (EOIs) for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (SMC) will resume on 9 November 2022. Immigration New Zealand uses a points-based system to assess EOIs. On 9 November, INZ will select all EOIs with at least 160 points, which is the current threshold. After 9 November, the threshold will increase to 180 points. Only EOIS after the said date will be affected of the increase. EOIs will be selected again on 18 January 2023. Expression of interest selection Those who have submitted EOIs can proceed, or withdraw and request a refund. Those who wish to proceed must:
INZ will check selected EOIs to ensure the right number of points are claimed. Those who meet the points threshold will be invited to apply for an SMC Resident Visa. Those who wish to withdraw and request a refund should do so before 9 November 2022. Refunds are not available after the EOI has been selected. SMC Visa application process INZ asks for patience as it responds to the many EOIs expected in November. Those invited to apply for an SMC Visa have four (4) months to submit their application. Submissions are made online. 2021 Resident Visa INZ encourages those who have already applied for a 2021 Resident Visa to continue with their application, rather than applying for an SMC Visa as well. Currently, residence visa processing priorities are focused on completing the 2021 Resident Visa applications. INZ has committed to processing the vast majority of 2021 Resident Visa applications by June 2023. Do you want to check if you can be qualified for a Resident Visa? Click on the button to take the our assessment!China Working Holiday Scheme updateChanges have been made to immigration instructions to clarify that qualifications at a tertiary level meet the China Working Holiday Scheme qualification requirement. A minor change has also been made to the note in instructions to update the name of the agency that verifies qualifications.
Median wage hourly rate increase and chef qualification requirement removalINZ is focused on attracting highly skilled migrant labour to help grow New Zealand’s economy. Two changes relevant to employers recruiting migrant workers have been announced.
NZD $27.76 to NZD $29.66 per hour The median wage, currently NZD $27.76 an hour, will increase to NZD $29.66 on 27 February 2023. This affects the pay requirements for an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and other visas. Chef Qualification requirement removed From 18 October 2022, chefs will no longer need a New Zealand Certificate of Cookery (Level 4) or equivalent to be granted an AEWV. The Government’s decision to remove the requirement will allow employers to recruit highly skilled or experienced chefs who do not have formal qualifications. They will still need to meet the median wage and market rate requirement. Applications currently being processed by Immigration New Zealand can be assessed under the new instructions from 18 October. These new settings will apply for 12-18 months. Officials will work closely with the industry to develop a system to identify and assess skilled chefs. Eligibility requirements for roles requiring registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand
The eligibility requirements for roles requiring registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand have been extended to cover people with a special purpose locum tenens scope of practice registration. The following four IT roles have been added to Tier 1 of the Green List:
Instructions have been amended to allow an applicant who has been offered a role on the Green List to be suitably qualified if they meet the requirements that the employer specified at the Job Check stage, or the current requirements on the Green List for their occupation. This ensures an applicant is provided with the most favourable outcome should Green List occupation requirements be amended between when a job check is approved and an AEWV application is submitted. It is effective from 10 October 2022. Food Technologist qualification requirement The qualification requirements for ‘Food Technologist’ in Tier 1 of the Green List has been clarified to ensure the reference to a level 7 qualification means a bachelor’s degree effective from 14 November 2022. |