Changes to support regional development

Thursday, July 30, 2015
On 26 July 2015, a range of changes were announced to immigration policy primarily aimed at supporting regional development.New measures to take effect from 1 November include:

• Boosting the bonus points for Skilled Migrants applying for residence with a job offer outside Auckland from 10 to 30 points.
• Doubling the points for entrepreneurs planning to set up businesses in the regions under the Entrepreneur Work Visa from 20 to 40 points.
• Streamlining the labour market test to provide employers with more certainty, earlier in the visa application process.

In addition, from mid-2016 a pathway to residence will be provided for a limited number of long-term migrants on temporary work visas in the South Island.


The Government is also considering a new Global Impact Visa to attract high-impact entrepreneurs, investors and start-up teams to launch global ventures from New Zealand.


Details of the announcement can be found in the Minister of Immigration’s press release.


No further information about the changes is available at this time as the details have not yet been worked out. Information will be posted on the INZ website as it becomes available.

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