NEW ZEALAND PR
SKILLED MIGRANT CATEGORY
New Zealand offers many opportunities for skilled migrants, particularly in industries and regions experiencing growth and skill shortages. The Skilled Migrant Category is for potential migrants who are interested in gaining New Zealand residence and have readily transferable skills and experience.Benefits of a Permanent Residence Visa -
A few of the innumerable benefits that follow a PR in New Zealand are:
- You can live, work, travel and study in New Zealand indefinitely without any restrictions
- You can avail medical facilities at subsidised rates as well as social security benefits
- Your children shall be eligible for free education at state-run schools and universities
- You can sponsor your relatives to apply for permanent resident visas, provided they meet the residency and assurance of support requirements
- You can apply for New Zealand citizenship after staying in the country for several years, needless to say that you fulfil all their other criteria such as basic usage of English language, communicative skills, good character, and a clear intent to continue staying in the country
- Children born in New Zealand shall automatically gain citizenship of the country by birth
New Zealand PR Visa Requirements -
The basic requirements to adhere to in order to obtain a PR Visa in New Zealand are:
- Age less than 56 years
- Fluency and good command over English language
- Good health and good character
- Job offer in hand (in case you have applied for sponsored work visa)
- Ability to prove your intent of stay in the country
One can apply to PR visa in New Zealand through various categories mainly Skilled Migrant Category, Partner Category, and Business and Investment Category.
New Zealand PR Points System
| Factors | Points | |||||
| Age (20 to 55 years) | 20-39 | 30 | ||||
| 40-44 | 20 | |||||
| 45-49 | 10 | |||||
| 50-55 | 5 | |||||
| Skilled employment | Current skilled employment in New Zealand or an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand | 50 | ||||
| Bonus points for skilled employment | Current skilled employment in New Zealand or an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand in an area of absolute skills shortage | 10 | ||||
| Current skilled employment or an offer of skilled employment outside the Auckland region | 30 | |||||
| Current skilled employment or an offer of skilled employment with remuneration of least $54.00 per hour, or the equivalent annual salary | 20 | |||||
| Skilled work experience | 2 years | 10 | ||||
| 4 years | 20 | |||||
| 6 years | 30 | |||||
| 8 years | 40 | |||||
| 10 years | 50 | |||||
| Additional bonus points if skilled work experience is in New Zealand | 1 year or more | 10 | ||||
| Additional bonus points for skilled work experience in an area of absolute skills shortage | 2 to 5 years | 10 | ||||
| 6 years or more | 15 | |||||
| Qualifications | Recognised level 3 qualification if included on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment (LQEA) | 40 | ||||
| Recognised level 4-6 qualification (e.g., trade qualification, diploma) | 40 | |||||
| Recognised level 7 or 8 qualification (e.g., bachelor’s degree, bachelor’s degree with Honours) | 50 | |||||
| Recognised level 9 or 10 post-graduate qualification (Master’s degree, Doctorate) | 70 | |||||
| Bonus points for qualifications gained in New Zealand | 2 years of full-time study in New Zealand completing a recognised bachelor degree (level 7) New Zealand qualification; or | 10 | ||||
| 1 year of full-time study in New Zealand completing a recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification; or | 10 | |||||
| 2 years of full-time study in New Zealand completing a recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification | 15 | |||||
| Bonus points for partner’s skilled employment | Partner’s current skilled employment in New Zealand or offer of skilled employment in New Zealand. | 20 | ||||
| Bonus points for partner’s qualification (either) | Recognised qualification at level 7 or 8; or | 10 | ||||
| Recognised qualification at level 9 or above | 20 | |||||
STEP BY STEP PROCESS SKILLED MIGRANT CATEGORY
1: Self-assessment:
The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa points indicator, check your points in pre assessment to see whether or not you are eligible for submitting an EOI.
2: Create and submit an EOI:
By completing an EOI, you will give us information about your health, character, age, English language ability and the ‘employability and capacity building’ factors that you are claiming points for, such as skilled employment, qualifications and skilled work experience. To submit your EOI you must pay the correct fee.
3: EOI Pool selection:
EOIs meeting a certain points threshold are selected from the Pool periodically (usually every two weeks). This threshold may be adjusted from time to time so that EOIs in sufficient numbers are selected to fulfil the Skilled/Business Stream of the New Zealand Residence Programme. An EOI is current for a period of six months from the date of first submission to the Pool. If selection(s) of EOIs occur within the six-month period and yours is not selected, your EOI will automatically be withdrawn. If your EOI is selected from the Pool, we will assess the credibility of your points claim. Based on this credibility check, you may be invited to apply for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category. If it appears you are not eligible for enough points to meet the selection threshold, but you still have at least 100 points, your EOI will be returned to the Pool (and will remain there for the remainder of the six-month period). If it appears you are eligible for less than 100 points, your EOI will be withdrawn from the Pool. If your EOI has not yet been selected (or was selected and subsequently returned to the Pool), you can continue to make changes to your EOI online.
4: Invitation to apply:
If your EOI is successful, you will receive an invitation to apply for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category, either by email or letter.
5: Residence application assessment:
Your application against Residence instructions would be submitted and assessed under the Skilled Migrant Category. Once approved your residence application will be accepted.
