Immigration New Zealand has now released the policy instructions for the new 2021 Resident Visa and individual eligibility as well when an individual can apply can now be confirmed.

GOVERNMENT APPLICATION FEE

Immigration New Zealand have confirmed the application fee for a 2021 Resident Visa will be NZD $2,160 including GST.

Applicants will only be required to pay this fee once an in-principal decision (Approval in Principle) has been made on their application.

It does not need to be made on application.

Once an in-principal decision has been made, applicants who have applied for residence under the Skilled Migrant or Residence from Work categories will be given the option to:

1. Withdraw their Skilled Migrant Category application. Use the fee from that application to cover the cost of the 2021 Resident Visa with a refund of the difference; or
2. Withdraw their Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest or Residence from Work application. Use the fee from that application towards the 2021 Resident Visa with the difference payable by the applicant, before the application can be finalised
3. Applicants who chose not to withdraw their existing application. Will need to pay a fee of NZD1,330 for the processing of their 2021 Resident visa application.

HOW TO APPLY FROM DECEMBER 1, 2021

The application form for the 2021 Resident Visa will be available online from 1 December 2021.

If you have already applied for residence under the Skilled Migrant or Residence from Work category or

have submitted an Expression of Interest with a dependent child included in that application aged 17 or older determines whether they are eligible to apply in this first cohort.

Applications will be processed with first cohort of applications being accepted from 1 December 2021 and the second from 1 March 2022.

All applicants must be submitted by 31 July 2022.

Applications submitted after this date will be declined.

CURRENT RESIDENT VISA APPLICATIONS & PROCESSING TIMEFRAMES

Immigration New Zealand aim to process applications for residence under this new category within 12 months of receiving an application.

This means that some migrants who have already submitted a residence application are likely to obtain residence earlier if they submit a new application under the 2021 Resident Visa pathway than awaiting an outcome on their Skilled Migrant or Residence from Work category application.

It also means that individuals holding Work to Residence visas under the Talent (Accredited Employer) and Long-Term Skill Shortage List instructions do not necessarily have to wait the 24 months normally required to be eligible to apply for New Zealand residence.

Given the Minister’s confirmation that selections of Expressions of Interest under the Skilled Migrant category will remain suspended until at least 31 July 2022, migrants who have submitted an Expression of Interest are also likely to benefit from applying for residence under the new category instead of waiting for selections to resume.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA – IN REVIEW

The key requirements an individual must meet in order to be eligible to apply for residence under the 2021 Resident Visa category (either in the first or second cohort) are as follows:

- Have been in New Zealand on an eligible work visa (or have applied for one and are subsequently granted that visa) on 29 September 2021; or

- Arrive in New Zealand on a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa (CPVV) as a critical health worker or other critical worker for more than 6 months before 31 July 2022

(Additional requirements apply to nurses granted a CPVV to travel to and obtain occupational registration in New Zealand)

And meet:

- The settled criteria in New Zealand; or

- The skilled criteria; or

- The scarce criteria.

Principal applicants in Australia may also be eligible if they left New Zealand between 6 April 2021 and 23 July 2021 (inclusive).

Dependent family in New Zealand and overseas can be included in the residence application as secondary applicants, if they meet dependency requirements.

Dependent children aged 25 and over can also be included in some circumstances.

1. Settled Criteria

Applicants applying under the settled criteria must have lived in New Zealand for three or more years as of 29 September 2021. This means they must have first arrived in New Zealand on or before 29 September 2018.

Applicants must also have spent at least 821 days in New Zealand between 29 September 2018 and 29 September 2021 (inclusive). Immigration New Zealand will use their travel records to determine whether applicants meet the settled criteria.

1. Skilled Criteria

Applicants applying under the skilled criteria must normally be paid at or above $27/hour and have been paid this on 29 September 2021 and at the time their residence application is submitted.

The $27/hour requirement excludes employment-related allowances and bonuses and is calculated on base remuneration only.

To support an application for residence under the skilled criteria, applicants will need to evidence they meet the hourly rate through submission of:

• An employment agreement or letter from their employer confirming their pay and hours of work; and

• A full bank statement or Inland Revenue summary of income or pay slips

Applicants who received a pay rise effective after 29 September 2021 are not eligible under the skilled criteria.

1. Scarce Criteria

To be eligible for the 2021 Resident Visa under the scarce criteria, applicants must have been working in a scarce occupation on 29 September 2021 and at the time their residence application is submitted. A scarce occupation is defined as:

• A role on the Long-Term Skill Shortage List

• A role on the specified primary sector roles list

• A role that requires occupational registration in the health or education sector

• Other critical health care worker or personal carer roles as defined by policy including paramedics, aged and disabled carers and workers who install, operate, or maintain medical equipment

To support an application for residence under the scarce criteria, applicants will need to provide the following evidence:

• An employment agreement or letter from their employer confirming their occupation and hours of work; and

• Evidence of occupational registration in New Zealand (if applicable)

HEALTH AND CHARACTER REQUIREMENTS

Acceptable standard of health and good character requirements apply to all residence visa category applications and the 2021 Resident Visa pathway is no different. However, the evidential requirements have been relaxed to allow for faster visa processing.

Health Requirements

Applicants will need to submit a Limited medical certificate, obtained via an authorised panel physician only if:

• They have not submitted a medical certificate to Immigration New Zealand in the last 36 months; or

• There have been changes to their standard of health since their previous medical was submitted; or

• Their standard of health was previously assessed by Immigration New Zealand as not meeting requirements

Character Requirements

Applicants are not required to provide police certificates with their application unless specifically requested by Immigration New Zealand.

Immigration New Zealand will obtain a police certificate from the New Zealand Police on an applicant’s behalf during the processing of the application.

NEXT STEPS

Actions YOU can take in advance of YOUR eligibility is:

Ensure YOU hold an up-to-date passport valid for at least 12 months

Obtain full unabridged birth certificates for YOURSELF and YOUR dependent family members

If YOU wish to include a dependent partner or spouse in YOUR application, gather relationship supporting documents to evidence living together and that you meet the genuine and stable relationship requirements.