One of our clients came to us for her employee with a record of being a work visa declined once. When your previous visa was rejected, your case would be one of the high touch cases meaning your case officer will scrutinize your case more.
We engaged with them and prepared the new work visa application. It was submitted before the lockdown. After lockdown, the case officer requested to do the market test. Although we tried, the case officer was determined to decline (a kiwi first policy?).
My client was quick to engage with us for reconsideration and also section 61 request as she realized that even if we applied for her employee's reconsideration, after the grace period, he would be unlawful. Once he is unlawful, his reconsideration application will be automatically declined. What a dilemma!
We prepared the reconsideration and submitted it within two weeks. Then we applied for section 61 as soon as the employee became unlawful.
Today, we received great news from Immigration New Zealand that his section 61 and reconsideration have been accepted and now he has three years work visa. Now he plans to bring his family to New Zealand.