Changes to Skilled residency visa queue

Immigration NZ just announced this week changes to the ranking for processing residence applications from skilled workers.

Priority will now only be given to people applying if they:

• Are paid $51 per hour (30 hours or more each week) OR $106,080 per annum (for a 40 hour week); OR

• Require New Zealand occupational registration to work in their job (e.g. nurse, doctors, teachers).

Priority will no longer be given to people who have worked for an accredited employer for 2 years unless they meet one of the criteria above.

This means Immigration NZ will start processing older residence applications in the queue since December 2018.

Until the government decide the new residence approval numbers for 2020 and beyond the queue of skilled workers invited to apply for residence will just keep growing.

There are limited special circumstances where Immigration NZ might consider moving an application forward (does not include a visa about to expire or a long time in the residence queue). Take advice.

People need to be prepared to apply early for another work visa as the residence queue grows. We recommend applying no later than 3 months before the work visa expiry date.