On Thursday the 30th of September, the New Zealand Government announced a new one-off residence pathway, the 2021 Resident Visa.
Our Senior Licensed Immigration Adviser, Dr. Carsten Hallwass welcomes this new pathway to residence:
"We see this as a strong signal from the Government, emphasising the plan to move forward as we continue to follow our strategy for a gradual re-opening of our borders.
The 2021 Resident Visa is a long overdue acknowledgement of the immense contributions to the New Zealand society made by migrants on one hand, and of the huge skill shortage experienced by New Zealand businesses on the other hand.
The 2021 Resident Visa will give migrants the assurance that they can build a new life in New Zealand, as they now have a solid guarantee that they will be able to remain in New Zealand after their work visas expire ... (it) will also allow New Zealand employers to secure the skill sets in their teams as they are now able to retain their staff long-term."
Carsten says:"This new pathway provides a unique one-off chance for New Zealand work visa holders who would otherwise not have qualified for a resident visa under any of the current Resident Visa Categories, be it because they were unable to claim enough points for the 160 points EOI threshold, because they have exceeded the age limit of 56 years, or because they do not meet the minimum English language requirements stipulated in the Skilled Migrant Category."
On 29 September you must have been on (or have applied for and later granted) one of the following visas:
To be eligible under this criteria, on 29 September 2021 you must work in a job that is on a scarce list.
These are the scarce lists:
Carsten says:
"If your job is listed in one of the scarce lists, this really is a fantastic chance for you to obtain your residence status if you are currently on a work visa.
This applies in particular if you are working in a profession that is now listed in the specified primary sectors list, as you might not have qualified for a resident visa up until now, depending on remaining on a work visa for an unforeseeable time.
My advice to you: Look up the Scarce Lists to see whether you might qualify for residence!"
The New 2021 Resident Visa also brings great news for Critical Workers!
Two groups of Critical Purpose visitor visa holders will be eligible, as long as they arrive in New Zealand and apply before 31 July 2022:
This is a significant exemption from the eligibility requirement that stipulates that to be eligible for the New 2021 Resident Visa you have to have been in New Zealand on 29 September 2021.
Please note: If you are in a short term or seasonal role on a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa, including fishing crew, agricultural and horticulture mobile plant operators and shearers, you will not be eligible.
The New 2021 Resident Visa is great news for New Zealand employers as well as for migrants!
Employers do not have to be accredited to benefit from this new pathway to residence. They can retain their migrant employees beyond the expiry date of their current work visas.
At New Zealand Immigration Concepts we want to build strong relationships with New Zealand employers. If you are a New Zealand employer, you are very welcome to register your interest in any of our webinars.
To learn how you can retain your migrant staff, just complete the form on this page and join our webinar.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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