NZ has been actively encouraging skilled immigration to fill labour shortages as well as providing numerous other paths to residence.
New Zealand's Skilled Migration Category (SMC) allows people with the skills and qualifications that New Zealand values to get residence or a permit to work. Applicants are scored against a points-based system and entered into a pool of potential migrants. Applicants are chosen every fortnight for an invitation to apply for migration to New Zealand.
In early 2004, the entire Skilled Migration scheme for New Zealand was overhauled. The new Skilled Migrant Category (formerly called General Skills) has been designed to attract highly-skilled migrants to New Zealand, particularly in those industries and regions of New Zealand experiencing growth and skills shortages.
The Scheme has been designed to comprise two stages: the lodging of an Expression of Interest and the Invitation to Apply for Residency. These stages and the process involved are explained in more detail in the sections below.
Presently, you need to score a minimum of 100 points to be able to lodge an Expression of Interest. You will be guaranteed selection for application of residence if you score at least 140 points or you have an existing job offer
To be considered for immigration to New Zealand as a Skilled Migrant, you must meet the following pre-requisites and basic requirements before lodging an Expression of Interest.
you must be in good health
you must be of good character
you must have a reasonable standard of English
you must be under the age of 56 years
Furthermore you will need to meet the minimum threshold of 100 points to be able to lodge an Expression of Interest.
The New Zealand Skilled Migrant points system is designed to allow Expressions of Interest to be ranked in order so that the New Zealand Immigration authorities can make invitations to apply for residence to those migrants who can offer the most to New Zealand.
The points test and values are set out in more detail in our self-assessment point calculator, but in general, you can be allocated points for the following:
Having an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand.
If you can claim at least 100 points under the points test then you can register an expression of interest. You must include details of your health, character, age and English language ability on the form, as well as on the factors that will earn you points.
SJTT can assist you with lodging the online application to ensure that all relevant information has been supplied.
If you are interested in using our services for the first stage of the Skilled Migrant application, please complete our contact us form and a consultant will respond to you with further details of our services and fees
Expressions of Interest (EOI's) submitted over a number of weeks are collected. EOI's are selected from the pool periodically according to the following criteria:
EOI's that have at least 140 points will automatically be selected from the pool
EOI's that have at least 100 points but less than 140 points and have a valid job offer for skilled employment (or are currently employed in New Zealand in a skilled occupation) are selected in sufficient numbers to meet New Zealand's Immigration Programme requirements. They are selected in order of points ranking.
If more places are available after the selection criteria outlined above, more EOI's may be selected according to additional selection criteria put in place by the Minister of Immigration.
If you are not selected to lodge a full residence application within six months of registering, then your Expression of Interest will be withdrawn from the Pool. Another Expression of Interest can be lodged again if desired.
If you are selected from the Pool you are then officially invited to apply for residence. At this stage you would need to send in all the documents required to support your claims against the points test, i.e. passports, qualifications, reference letters, etc.
If you have a query about this area, please. contact us