New Zealand Skilled Migration
Skilled Migrant Category
Below is an outline of the process involved in the New Zealand Skilled Migration Category.
Before you begin your application you need to make sure you meet all of the requirements. You need to be between 20 and 55 years old at the time of your application, you must meet health and character checks, and your English language proficiency must be to a certain standard.
Expression of Interest (EOI)
The start of the process involves you lodging an EOI in which you claim points for your skills, experience, qualifications, age and family.
If you are able to claim 100 points or more your EOI goes into the EOI pool. Every fortnight, all EOI’s that have scored over 140 points are automatically selected for an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Then, EOI’s with lower scores are selected. These selections are based on certain factors such as skilled employment.
You will be required to pay a fee when lodging your EOI. Lodging a paper application will cost approx NZ$460, and lodging an online EOI is approx NZ$300.
Invitation to Apply (ITA)
When your EOI has been selected from the pool, you will be sent an ITA. This step involves you providing proof of the claims you have made on your EOI, such as police and medical certificates, proof of your skills and experience, and proof of your English language ability.
It is important to note that the date you make your application for Skilled Migration with immigration New Zealand determines the policy that your application will be assessed under. Therefore, the policy that was current when you submitted your EOI may not necessarily be the policy that you are assessed against.
A second fee is payable when you are invited to apply. This fee is different depending on where you are when you lodge your application, but will be approximately GBP £685 when lodging in the UK.
Full Assessment
When your application, along with all your documents, is received by immigration New Zealand it is checked to ensure that you meet all requirements and that your points claims are valid.
You may at this stage also be required to sit an interview. This interview is used to help determine your ability to settle in New Zealand successfully. If your application is sufficient this interview may be waived, but this is totally at the discretion of Immigration New Zealand.
Outcome
After your application has been fully assessed, if you meet all the criteria and it has been determined that you will settle successfully in New Zealand you will be offered a residence visa or permit.
If Immigration New Zealand determines that you may have trouble settling in New Zealand but think you have potential, you will be offered a work to residence visa or permit. This will allow you to obtain an offer of skilled employment for up to nine months; if you are able to do this your residence application will be approved.
If you do not meet the Skilled Migration policy criteria your application for residency will be declined.
A third and final fee is due once you have been approved. This is called the migrant levy. The levy is NZ$300 for each person getting a residence visa or permit, to a maximum of NZ$1200 for a family on one application.
To see if you are eligible under the New Zealand Skilled Migration Category fill out our New Zealand skilled migration free assessment and one of our registered migration agents will assess your emigration options and contact you.
NZ Migrant Job Search
Have you got the skills New Zealand needs?
If your skills are in demand we can help you find a job offer in New Zealand greatly improving your immigration prospects and reducing the time spent eating into your savings while looking for the right job.
New Zealand employment opportunities are improving and we have employers actively seking skilled migrants to emigrate to New Zealand as a skilled migrant. Fill out our NZ Skilled Migration Application to get started
Current jobs in demand in New Zealand include:
- ANAESTHETIST
- ANAESTHETIST TECHNICIAN
- AUDIOLOGIST
- CHIROPODIST
- DENTIST
- DENTAL HYGIENIST
- DENTAL TECHNICIAN
- DENTAL THERAPIST
- DIETICIAN
- GENETIC ASSOCIATE
- INTENSIVIST
- MEDICAL RADIATION TECHNOLOGIST & RADIOGRAPHER
- MIDWIFE
- NURSE
- OBSTETRIC & GYNAECOLOGICAL REGISTRAR
- OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
- OPTOMETRIST
- OSTEOPATH
- PATHOLOGIST
- PAEDIATRICIANS
- PHARMACIST
- PHARMACEUTICAL SALES / MARKETING
- PHYSIOTHERAPIST
- RADIATION ONCOLOGIST
- RADIOLOGIST
- RENAL PHYSICIAN
- THEATRE STAFF
- PRIMARY TEACHER
- SECONDARY TEACHER
- LECTURER
- VETINARIAN
- FOOD TECHNOLOGIST
- LONG DISTANCE DRIVER
- HEAVY GOODS DRIVER
- CONSTRUCTION / PLANT MACHINERY OPERATOR / DRIVER
- MECHANICS - DIESEL, HEAVY TRANSPORT, FORK LIFT, GENERAL
- AUTO ELECTRICIAN
- PANELBEATER
- CIVIL ENGINEER
- DRAINLAYER
- BOILERMAKER
- HAIRDRESSER
- LINE MECHANIC (HIGH VOLTAGE)
- BOAT BUILDER
- BOAT REPAIRER
Fill out our NZ Skilled Migration Application to get started
Silver Fern Visa
Aimed to attract young, highly skilled people to work long term in New Zealand, the new Silver Fern policy enables young people with proven potential to come to New Zealand for up to nine months to seek skilled employment.
Once they find skilled employment, they will be able to stay for a further two years, while they apply for residence. This will create a pathway to residence for young skilled people, who want to come to New Zealand to further develop their careers, and potentially to settle permanently.
The Silver Fern policy consists of two sub-policies: the Job Search policy and the Practical Experience policy. Together, these components offer a two-stage pathway to residence.
Details of both components are as follows:
Silver Fern Job Search
The Silver Fern Job Search policy will allow applicants to enter New Zealand for nine months while they seek skilled employment. The Minister has confirmed that places will be limited to 300 per year.
To be successful, applicants must:
• Be aged between 20 and 35 years.
• Make the application using the online system set up for this purpose.
• Be outside of New Zealand at the time of lodgement.
• Have a recognised qualification which is either a:
- bachelor degree or higher
- trade qualification and a minimum of two years’ work experience in that trade
• Be able to meet English Language requirements.
• Have funds available to support their stay in New Zealand
Applicants must submit evidence to Immigration New Zealand in order to show that they meet the requirements.
Silver Fern Practical Experience
If applicants have been successful in obtaining a Silver Fern Job Search visa, and they successfully find skilled employment in New Zealand within the required nine months, then they may apply for a Silver Fern Practical Experience visa/permit. This will allow them to remain in that employment for two years.
To be successful, the applicant must:
• Have already been awarded a Silver Fern Job Search Visa.
• Have an offer of skilled employment.
• Hold occupational registration if required.
The Minister confirms that there will be no annual limit to Silver Fern Practical Experience permit applications.
Overseas Emigration Visas can offer advice on this process. Please contact our enquiry line on 0845 601 7810 or emailenquiries@my-oe.com
With more then 15 years experience in the migration business, VisaWorks focuses on the "now" in immigration. VisaWorks are the choice for professional, affordable job search and visa services in Australia and New Zealand.