New health roles added to Green List As previously announced by the government, an additional 32 positions in the health sector are being included in the Green List, and all Green List health positions will now be moved to the Straight to Residence pathway. Starting from Monday, May 29, 2023, eligible individuals will have the opportunity to apply under the new criteria. Furthermore, the list encompasses roles beyond the health system, such as social services, education, and justice positions, which play a vital role in the delivery of healthcare services in New Zealand. The qualifications to apply for the Green List Straight to Residence are:
If applicants need to come to New Zealand to complete occupational registration, they can:
Transport Sector Green List Roles As mentioned before, starting from 29th September 2023, a two-year work to residence pathway will be available for specific transport roles. On Monday, 29th May 2023, changes will be made to the Immigration Instructions, and INZ website will offer more information to migrants currently in New Zealand or those considering this pathway. The two-year work to residence pathway is for people working in these occupations (and ANZSCO codes):
Applicants seeking residence must meet certain criteria when applying, which include having a job or job offer for one of the aforementioned occupations and fulfilling the Green List requirements specific to that occupation. Additionally, they must have successfully completed two years of work experience and fulfill other general requirements.
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Since the opening of the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) program in July of 2022, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has received an overwhelming number of applications in this category. The AEWV program aims to provide employers in New Zealand with a streamlined process for hiring overseas workers who have the skills and experience that are in demand in the country.
As of the latest statistics, INZ has received over 23,700 Employer Accreditation applications with more than 23,000 of them already approved. Meanwhile, the agency has also received more than 34,000 Job check applications, with nearly 32,500 approved so far. On average, INZ has been able to make a decision on these applications within five weekdays. More than 67,000 applications for AEWV have been received and over 58,000 approved. Despite their best efforts, INZ has been unable to keep up with the influx of applications, and the current processing time for decided AEWV applications now stands at 18 working days. INZ aims to process straightforward AEWV applications within 20 working days; however, they have not been able to progress some applications due to incomplete information. In light of this, INZ has decided to contact applicants whose applications are pending due to lack of information. They are requesting the applicants to provide all required information within 10 working days so that they can proceed with processing their application. Failure to provide the necessary information or response within this timeframe may have an adverse impact on the application. For onshore AEWV applicants, INZ will send a Potentially Prejudicial Information (PPI) letter to present them with an initial assessment of their application and provide them with an opportunity to respond before we make a final decision. For offshore AEWV applicants, INZ will progress the application as is for assessment, and it is likely the application will be declined due to not meeting immigration instructions. INZ will start contacting applicants over the coming weeks. Reusing Job tokens for declined applications If INZ declines an AEWV application, the job token (unique link) that was used by that applicant will be returned to the employer’s dashboard after the 14-day reconsideration period and will be able to be reused, provided the job check is still valid and it has not been six months since the job check was approved. The Government of New Zealand has announced changes to the Partner of a Worker Work Visa. These changes are aimed at rebalancing the immigration system and creating a more productive, higher-wage economy.
Effective from 31 May 2023 People who successfully apply for a Partner of a Worker Work Visa may have new conditions that mean:
This applies to most partners of workers who hold either an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) or an Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV). Partners who wish to apply for this visa do not need to have a job offer, and employers do not need to complete a Job Check. Once granted, partners can change employers without applying for a Variation of Conditions. There is no minimum number of hours that partners need to work. People who are currently employed will need to ensure their employment satisfies the conditions of their new visa when any new visa takes effect. It is also necessary for people who are not employed to ensure that any future job offer satisfies these conditions. Any subsequent changes to the employer’s accreditation, the median wage, and Sector Agreements will not impact the visa holder if they remain in the same employment. From 31 May, individuals will be able to check if an employer is accredited on the Immigration New Zealand (INZ) website. The changes do not affect current work visa conditions or the status of those who apply before 31 May 2023. There are no changes to visa conditions for partners of New Zealanders, or partners of those holding other work visas, such as a Post Study Work Visa. Exceptions However, some partners of AEWV or ESWV holders will continue to be eligible to work in any occupation for any employer in New Zealand, with no median wage threshold. This includes partners of migrants who are paid at least twice the median wage, or migrants who work in a role on the Green List. Partners who did not meet these criteria when they received their visa but have since met them through a pay increase or their role being added to the Green List may also apply. Evidence of eligibility will be required as part of the Partner of a Worker Work Visa application or through a Variation of Conditions request. AEWV and ESWV holders who cannot support a partner work visa However, AEWV holders who are covered by a Sector Agreement and paid below the median wage are not eligible to support a partner work visa. ESWV holders paid below the median wage or lower-skilled (if the visa application was made before 27 July 2020) are also not eligible to support a partner. If these AEWV and ESWV holders receive a pay rise that brings their salary up to at least the median wage, they may be able to support their partner for a work visa. However, they do not need to apply for a new work visa to support a partner unless they want their eligibility for a longer work visa to be assessed based on their new salary. This is because partners generally receive a visa for the same period as their supporting partner’s work visa. Partners of temporary workers can explore other visas to determine if they are eligible to apply in their own right. Those who choose not to work can apply for a Visitor Visa. Source: INZ website |
AuthorImmigration Trust Team Archives
January 2025
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