January 2022 - NZ Immigration

Visitor Visa Roll-Out into the New System – Adept and Updated Forms

Posted on January 28, 2022 by admin

A number of visitor visa products will be migrated onto ADEPT on 31 January 2021. Two new forms have been developed and one form has been amended as a result of this migration onto the new system.

The new forms are:

INZ 1256 – Sponsor or Supporting Declaration Form
INZ 1268 – Bank Confirmation Details Form

The updated form is:

INZ 1224 – Visitor Visa Declaration Form

INZ 1256 – Sponsor or Supporting Declaration:

When a sponsor or supporting partner requires a third party to help them complete the Sponsor or Supporting Partner form, this form serves as a certification that they provided them with permission. It will be submitted together with their online Sponsorship or Supporting Partner form.

INZ 1268 – Bank Confirmation Details:

If a person does not want to submit their bank statements, pay slips or a letter from their employer to demonstrate they have adequate finances to support an applicant, they can utilize this form instead. The form is now a separate document that they can give to the bank, and which must be returned with an official bank stamp. The form must be submitted together with their online Sponsorship or Supporting Partner form.

INZ 1224 – Visitor Visa Declaration:

The form has been updated to be used for:

Reconsideration of the decision of a declined visitor visa and Variation of Conditions (VOC) of Visitor Visa
Visitor Visa Declaration, containing links to the Immigration New Zealand Terms of Use and Privacy Rights webpages, so that the wording is similar to that of the online form
Communication with the client will take place through the online account from which the application is filed

Besides the above, the INZ 1200 – Additional Information form has also been updated, though it is not a part of ADEPT. The ethnicity and religion questions have been removed as a result of the modifications. This form will also be in use from 31 January 2022.

NOTE:

The old version of the forms INZ 1244 and INZ 1200 will be accepted by Immigration New Zealand until 31 May 2022.

To gain a better understanding of the above changes and to learn more about them kindly get in touch with us.

Please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd. at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219. Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

Changes to Immigration Instructions for the Visitor Visa Applications on the New Immigration Online Systems

Posted on January 28, 2022 by admin

Immigration New Zealand (INZ)has announced that theimmigration instructions have been updated to allow the migration of visitor visa applications from the current processing systems to the Immigration Online system. The changes have been implemented from 31 January 2022. These modifications include measures that specify when an electronic system may decide that the criteria for granting a visitor visa under instructions at V2 and V3 have been satisfiedand when the case will be sent to an immigration officer for further review.

The changes also specify:

when the sponsored persons or their sponsors must submit a relevant form; and
if an online system does not require a medical certificate or chest x-ray certificate, an immigration officer may request one if it is necessary to determine whether the applicant is in good health.

General Instructions regarding Visa Processing Procedures

Under section 26(4) of the Immigration Act 2009, a new general instruction on the sequence and method of processing visa applications has been introduced for immigration officers. This general instruction outlines how immigration officers will handle applications submitted once improvements to Immigration Online have been implemented.

It covers the following topics:

Performing tasks given by the improved Immigration Online system;
Performing tasks related to the final collecting of information, evaluation, and decision; and
Pre-decision quality checks.

Automated processing and granting

Under the following immigration guidelines, an automated electronic system may decide whether an application meets one or more of the requirements for a visitor visa:

V2 General visitor • V3.5 Business visitor • V3.25 Children entering New Zealand for adoption • V3.30 Children adopted overseas before their New Zealand Citizenship is confirmed • V3.35 Culturally arranged marriage • V3.40 Entry to New Zealand for the purpose of medical treatment or consultation (and/or escorts of patients) • V3.45 Applicants wanting to obtain occupational registration in New Zealand • V3.50 Persons associated with a Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty and other Antarctic travellers
V3.55 Visiting Media Programme • V3.60 Pitcairn Islanders • V3.65 Conference delegates • V3.70 Crew members joining vessels for aircraft • V3.80 Visitors arriving by yacht or private aircraft • V3.81 Owners and crew of super yachts • V3.85 Sports people, support staff, match and tournament officials and media and broadcasting personnel associated with sports events, tours or tournaments • V3.95 German law students and graduates • V3.115 Work visa holders dismissed during a trial period • V3.130 Visiting academics • V3.140 Approved arts or music festival • V3.145 Short-term live entertainment acts • V3.155 Persons departing New Zealand during COVID-19

Automated grant of temporary entry class visa:

An applicant who satisfies the requirements of the immigration instructions may be granted a visitor visa using an automated electronic system for the following:

General visitor
Business visitor

Regardless of the above, an automated electronic system will not grant a temporary entry class visa to a person who:

has particular alerts or warnings; or
does not appear to meet health or character requirements; or
has an active appeal; or
is liable for deportation; or
has an open case or appeal with the Deputy Secretary or the Minister; or
is a student funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the New Zealand Scholarship Programme; or
is the subject of compliance action; or
is the holder of a visa issued by the Immigration and Protection Tribunal under section 210 or 216 of the Immigration Act 2009

In circumstances where the above applies, a manual examination of the identified concern will be conducted and an immigration officer will decide whether to issue or deny a visa.

Note that when a decision is made by an automated electronic system, it must be treated as if it were made by an immigration officer who is authorized to make the decision under the Immigration Act 2009.

To gain a better understanding of the above changes to the immigration instructions and to learn more about them kindly get in touch with us.

Significant Border Changes a Possibility in the First Half of The New Year

Posted on January 24, 2022 by admin

According to Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins, the coronavirus will ultimately become “endemic” in New Zealand, and there may be “major” adjustments to the borders in the first half of 2022.

Because of the Omicron variant’s high infectiousness, many epidemiologists throughout the world believe endemic Covid-19 is inescapable.

Endemic does not imply it is harmless; rather, it implies that Covid-19 is predictable and treatable, similar to other respiratory disorders such as the flu.

Covid-19 was effectively kept out of New Zealand until August 2021, when a Delta epidemic necessitated a change in tactics. The virus has been effectively controlled since then. Hipkins has stated that it was never a five-year plan to keep Covid-19 out of New Zealand. It was always about getting everyone vaccinated and better prepared was always a priority.

The Government postponed a planned release for MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine) rooms in March and April earlier this week, leaving many to wonder about the border’s future. Additionally, Hipkins has hinted at big movements in the first half of 2022.

He said the plan will be driven by a desire to keep contagious persons out of the community, particularly those travelling from outside, in order to avoid seeding instances and explosive outbreaks.

The government would nonetheless proceed to a “self-isolation” paradigm, in which people are instructed to stay at home to ensure they are not contagious, rather than relying on MIQ.

While Omicron is spreading fast in other parts of the world and New Zealand has only limited cases right now, however, this will change rapidly if New Zealanders follow the self-isolation paradigm.

At this moment, no decision has been taken, but Hipkins said that the Cabinet has acknowledged that the decision cannot be postponed indefinitely.

Source: Click here

Border Exception to be Widened to Cover All Commercial Shipping

Posted on January 21, 2022 by admin

The Immigration New Zealand (INZ) announced that more than 200 rural contractors (agricultural and horticultural mobile plant machinery operators), 450 BATM-class deep-sea fishing crew, and 615 BATM and non-BATM class deep-sea fishing crew will be granted visas as a result of changes to border class exceptions in immigration instructions.

The existing border exception for replacement cargo crew has been expanded to include all commercial shipping, with the exception of the crew who want to work in New Zealand rather than depart right away, and are on ships that are pleasure watercraft and crew on ships powered solely by manual or sail power.

The above changes are effective on and after 21^st January 2022.

To gain a better understanding of the above changes to the immigration instructions and to learn more about them kindly get in touch with us.

No Teachers Despite Border Exception

Posted on January 12, 2022 by admin

Since the closure of New Zealand borders in March 2020, it has faced an enormous employment shortage, including teachers. As a result, few border exceptions have been allowed.

Taking note of this shortage, in July 2021, the New Zealand Government had announced a border exception for 300 overseas qualified teachers to come to New Zealand.

However, getting a Managed Isolation & Quarantine (MIQ) slot is a huge challenge. Recently there has been a demand for MIQ spot allocation for teachers as the shortage mounts. Only a few handfuls of teachers entered New Zealand under this policy, leaving schools to find replacement teachers for Term 1.

Even if allowed to enter New Zealand for Term 2, teachers still have to book a MIQ slot which is like winning the lottery. There is a shortage of teachers in STEM subjects and the failure to bring in teachers will affect students.

Since the announcement of the policy last July, the Government has moved at a snail’s pace to open the application system for teachers in November 2021. In addition to this, the Christmas holidays left very little time for recruitment, visa processing & MIQ booking. In December 2021 the Secretary of Education shockingly announced that no teachers had arrived as they were unable to book MIQ slots and that they wouldn’t arrive until term 2.

Education Minister Chris Hipkin’s inaction has cost students dearly. There is a demand that some MIQ spaces be kept aside for incoming teachers to enable them to begin from Term 1. The Minister has been criticized for not being able to get teachers before 1 November or having MIQ spots reserved for them. As a result, students already affected by the lockdowns will have to pay a heavy price for this.

Source: Click here

Here is the Outline for the New Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) Process

Posted on January 11, 2022 by admin

What is employer accreditation?

An accredited employer is an employer who is accredited i.e. officially authorized & recognized by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to employ migrant workers.

Why should New Zealand employers apply for accreditation?

INZ is making it compulsory for NZ employers to get accredited if they want to hire migrant workers. This is to ensure all standard requirements are met like the business is genuine & compliant, committed to settling migrants & minimize exploitation.

What is an Accredited Employer Work Visa?

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is a new temporary work visa that will be introduced from 4 July 2022. This visa category is slowly replacing six temporary work visas in existence with a streamlined single visa process. This means, going forward migrant workers can only be hired under the new visa category provided the employers are accredited.

When can employers apply for accreditation?

Employers will be able to apply for accreditation from 9th May 2022

What is the 3- Step visa application process?

Step 1: Getting Accredited

Any employer who wants to hire migrant workers on the AEWV must gain accreditation. This is a new type of accreditation so even if an employer has been accredited under the previous system, they will still have to apply for accreditation.

The level of accreditation will depend on the number of migrant workers required to be hired annually.

What are the different levels of accreditation?

Standard accreditation– for employers wanting to hire up to five migrants at one time.
High volume accreditation – for employers wanting to hire six or more migrants at one time.

Note: Franchisees and employers placing migrant workers on AEWV with controlling third parties (e.g. labour-hire companies) must meet additional requirements.

Step 2: The Job Check

After gaining accreditation, a job check must be done for each job an employer wants to hire migrant labour for. A migrant worker can be hired on an AEWV only if the job check has been passed. Employers must pay for a job check.

What is covered in a job check?

If the job pays the market rate
If the employment terms and conditions comply with New Zealand employment laws and standards
Labour Market Test (LMT), if required

If a migrant job applicant is not hired, the employer can offer the job to another suitable candidate, the job check does not have to be repeated.

Step 3: Migrant Worker Check

A migrant worker must meet the health and character requirements, and identity requirements and have the skills and experience stipulated in the job check.

What is the Labour Market Test?

The prerequisite where an employer must ensure and confirm that there is no NZ citizen or resident suitable for the advertised job before recruiting a migrant worker.

A Labour Market Test (LMT) secures that,

The job has been adequately advertised
The vacancy has been listed with the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) if the pay is below the median wage
Suitable New Zealanders have had the opportunity to apply for the job.

An approved job check will be valid for six months or until the employer’s accreditation lapses, whichever comes earlier. Multiple positions for the same job can be included in a one job check provided the job details are similar (the same occupation, pay range, region/ city of work etc.)

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) plans on introducing a pathway to residence in the future for those who have held an AEWV for 2 years and paid 200% of the median wage.

Do you want to become a New Zealand accredited employer?

Get in touch with Immigration Advisors New Zealand Ltd, which provides up-to-date immigration information so you can consider opportunities and prepare yourself for the future. To know all the required procedures, contact us at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.

Source: Click here

English Requirement to Study, Work and Live in New Zealand

Posted on January 11, 2022 by admin

2021 has been the year of transition for the English language sector. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has affected the English language teaching sector resulting in a fall in the number of students & loss of revenue.

English language tests are in the spotlight as the world has adapted to people studying and/or working from home.

TOEFL created the IBT Home Edition to benefit those who live away from test centres and to keep the process going. Also, IDP acquired the British Council IELTS operations in India which raised multiple questions. In addition, language learning apps like Duolingo and Basuu gained popularity.

While New Zealand has shut its borders to the rest of the works since the onset of the pandemic, some member schools have continued teaching students onshore and offshore online. English New Zealand, the spokes group of the English sector in New Zealand, advocates prioritizing international students. Hopefully, the opening of the NZ border to fully vaccinated individuals in April 2022 will bring in international students who are waiting to begin their studies onshore.

English is spoken & written by most New Zealanders. If you want to study, work, and live in New Zealand, then knowledge of the English language is necessary. The English language requirement varies depending on the type of visa you are applying for.

For the Skilled Migrant Category visa, minimum English language requirements must be met by the principal applicant, their partner & dependent children. There are different requirements for principal applicants and their partners/dependent children for Investor & Entrepreneur Visas.

English language requirement for Residence from Work Visas depends on which particular visa you apply for. However, all applicants must meet the minimum English language requirement for parent category visas.

Some Work Visa categories like the Working Holiday Maker visa have an English language requirement. For others, a functional level of English is required to enable you to undertake employment in New Zealand. The requirement level will depend on the employer’s requirements and the job description.

There is no English language set for Student Visas. However, some education providers, especially at the tertiary level, require a certain level of English proficiency before an offer of a place is given. This will vary from one provider to another; hence it is best to determine the requirements before applying for a visa.

To know about the English language tests acceptable by Immigration New Zealand (INZ), please click on the link here.

Source: Link 1 Link 2

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Month: January 2022