From nationals of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom and USA.
For personalised service use a Licensed Immigration Adviser or for more details visit:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/covid-19/border-closures-and-exceptions/when-you-can-apply-for-a-working-holiday-visa
Update from Heartland Immigration
Welcome to 2022, the year of the tiger, and one in which we learn to live with, rather than against, Covid-19.
The plan to reintegrate New Zealand back into the global community with changes to isolation, border exemptions and visas, in graduated steps has been announced. The need to remain flexible, react swiftly and understand the nuance of border and visa announcements continue; this is however the beginning of the end of New Zealand’s seclusion.
27 February 2022 – Mass MIQ ends
As of 28 February 2022 New Zealanders, Australians and New Zealand permanent residents who normally reside in New Zealand, and other critical workers in Australia holding New Zealand border exemptions, plus approved family members, are able to home isolate when they travel from Australia. Thus avoiding the government supervised stay in a hotel and most significantly the lottery system of attempting to book a MIQ stay in line with travel plans.
The days of mass MIQ are over.
01 March 2022 – Phase two 2021 Residence Visa
The remainder, second phase, of eligible work visa holders for the 2021 Residence Visa opens.
Tempting as it is to be “one of the first” that can’t be a reality for most. On day one of the first phase the Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ) Online system crashed; the prepared won’t miss out but not every application will be able to be lodged in the first few days of March 2022. Patience is required and the need to ensure time sensitive documentation necessary for the individual’s unique situation is available.
This is a one off opportunity to get it right and where a Licensed Immigration Adviser dedicated to an individual’s particular situation will reduce stress, provide confidence and ensure the best visa outcome. There are no second chances with this opportunity.
13 March 2022 Border exemptions begin to relax
From 14th March 2022 the home isolation from anywhere in the world extends to the earlier groups and anyone holding a border exemption and visa is able to enter and take advantage of home isolation. The criteria for border exemption relaxes further, income level reduces to $84,240 per annum.
Most excitingly some of the Working Holiday Schemes reopens and while we have yet to obtain full details this will be without MIQ. An enormous step as they are the first mass group of visa required folk, in two years, that won’t require a border exemption. The real beginning of the flow of international arrivals.
I have always been a great fan of the working holiday as these young people fill gaps in horticulture, hospitality and all manner of skill roles while out and about being tourists. A hundred thousand welcomes. Nau mai haere mai.
12 April 2022 International students
13th April 2022 will allow valid visa holders who still meet their visa conditions and are offshore, along with 50,000 student visas the ability to enter New Zealand. Border exemption rules relax further, the $84,240 per annum minimum is eliminated, while the criteria for student visas is yet to come.
09 May 2022 Employer Accreditation applications opens
Employers of migrant workers are able to apply for Employer Accreditation. Promised to be smooth and quick. I doubt it will be, however, help including HR and H&S is available at Heartland Immigration for our valued employers who could be overwhelmed with red tape.
July 2022 Employer Accreditation mandatory & further border rules ease
All travelers from Australia are able to home isolate and visa-waiver travelers can begin traveling to New Zealand. They are nationals from countries New Zealand has entered into a receptacle agreement to grant visitor visas on arrival without the need for a visa prior to travel under specific conditions. INZ do need to process visa applications for this category which clearly has made this a favorable option to introduce. Tough on employers who are desperate for staff and so very difficult for split families.
The Accredited Employer work visa applications for those in and out of New Zealand commences whereby employers of migrant staff must hold accreditation to support a work visa. Thus allowing significant numbers of visa holders to travel to New Zealand however I would caution this is subject to INZ ability to timely process employer accreditation and individual work visas applications.
August 2022 Residence Visas
The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) of residence is due to reopen and the new work to residence program to be introduced. The criteria change forecasted has much focus on the salary however the devil is always in the detail.
October 2022 Standard border and visa rules returns
Finally
Migrants check if you or your colleagues, friends or family in New Zealand have been assessed for the 2021 Residence Visa. Are you or they skilled, settled or scarce, or lodging an application? Ensure you know exactly what you should be doing.
Employers check that any migrant staff have been assessed for the 2021 Residence Visa, revisit your staffing requirements, anticipate when you will need to support a migrant’s work visa application. Continue to be prepared for delays at the border and at Immigration New Zealand.
If Heartland Immigration can be of service please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help.
For all of us vaccination certificates, testing requirements, the sudden need to change arrangements along with vaccination passports for our international travel are our normal.
Keep safe
Disclaimer: Mary Noonan is Heartland Immigration Ltd’s Managing Director. Her views expressed in this article are not intended to replace the professional service provided to individual migrants by a Licensed or Registered Immigration Adviser or Migration Agent.
Game changing news for work visa holders who have children in New Zealand aged between 17 to 25 years old.
If these young adults are eligible to be included in their partners 2021 Residence Visa applications they can now be treated as domestic students for higher education and vocational training.
Another barrier removed, as they now don’t need to delay post secondary school education nor will their families need to pay international student fees.
Full details available at INZ or for personalised service use a Licensed Immigration Adviser. Mary @ Heartland Immigration.
❤️️ Greetings All | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Another disruptive year, with various visa rule changes resulting in the need for rapid solutions to ensure our clients are not unnecessarily disadvantaged. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
❤️️ Opportunity for resilience | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Plenty of opportunities for all of us to further develop resilience, and I must admit to being grateful for being able to draw on years of experience at the coal face. Not my first emergency, nor first experience of a once in a decade residence category or difficulties with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) IT systems, from which I have learnt that when simple or easy is used in the context of visas, it rarely is either simple or easy. Complications and visas are a natural combination as each person or business situation is unique and navigating legislation, INZ instructions and operational logistics is challenging. Thankfully, we are at the beginning of the end to New Zealand’s extreme border restriction for both citizens and noncitizens alike. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
❤️️ Border controls | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The extraordinary controls designed to shield New Zealand from the severe consequences of Covid-19 will ease in mid January 2022, when vaccinated New Zealanders from Australia can bypass managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ). What was once a 14 day stay in a hotel room overseen by medical and security personnel will become a seven day stay at home along with standard Covid-19 testing and visa requirements. A month later, vaccinated New Zealanders from other countries, and then from the end of April other travellers will also be able to bypass MIQ. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
❤️️ Offshore visas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Although visa restrictions are as yet to be relaxed, the change to MIQ is a massive leap in the right direction. Employers in various sectors are in tremendous need of skills and labour, education facilities need international students to fill classrooms, migrant workers seek to reunite with their families while tourism enterprises continue to struggle without international visitors. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
❤️️ 2021 Residence VisaThe introduction of the 2021 Residence Visa for New Zealand’s migrant workers is a real bonus and a reminder that this is a generous, one off, time sensitive opportunity for many migrant families to gain residence. Don’t delay and don’t underestimate the process as evidenced in the complete IT failure at INZ when Phase 1 opened at the beginning of December 2021. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
❤️️ Work Visas have changedThe liberal grants of work visas to migrants already in New Zealand are quickly phasing out as INZ moves towards the employer-led work visa regime. Applications for Employer Accreditation start on 9 May 2022 while on 4 July 2022 it will be a necessity if a migrant worker requires a new or change of work visa. Again promoted as easier, it isn’t, so don’t get caught out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
❤️️ Labour Market Testing changesLabour market testing has already returned for those seeking new work visas. For those employed under the medium rate, increased to $27 per hour during the year, this involves employer engagement with W&I at MSD. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
❤️️ Holiday office hoursOur office closes on Wednesday, 22 December 2021 and reopens on Monday, 17 January 2022. We will monitor incoming communications from INZ. For urgent assistance during the holiday period please send a text message and we will get back to you. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
❤️️ My thanksTo our wonderful clients, many who have endured obstacles and difficulties this year, thank you for your custom and may you and yours enjoy a safe and happy holiday season. Remember, we are here to help. Please email or phone:
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Merry Christmas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mary Noonan
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❤️️ 2021 Residence Visa:Logistics for the first of the two phase application processes has been released by INZ. Opening date for the first phase is 1 December 2021. This is for folk who have already submitted an application for residence under either the SMC or Residence from Work options, as well as those with dependent children 17 years and older who have submitted an Expression of Interest. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
❤️️ Covid-19 Vaccinations Requirement for New Arrivals:Travellers other than New Zealand citizens under 17 years or those with a medical exemption must be vaccinated against Covid-19 prior to their arrival in New Zealand. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
❤️️ Employer Accreditation:Accredited Employer Work Visas (AEWV) applications will open 9 May 2022 and be mandatory from 4 July 2022. Engage us now to act for you if you employ migrant staff and sign up before the end of 2021. We’ll take care of the GST component of our professions fee bringing that down to $1,739.13. To request terms either email or call us today.
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An estimated 165,000 people will gain New Zealand residence under a new one-off residence category designed for work visa holders who are deemed to be settled, skilled and scarce.
In the main, these are people who were in New Zealand on 29 September 2021 and on a qualifying work visa, or who will arrive in New Zealand before the end of July 2022 on a long term critical purpose visa. In addition, they will have lived in New Zealand for three years (settled), or are paid $27 per hour (skilled), or their job is one listed on the scarce list (scarce).
Applications open on 1 December 2021 for a limited category of folk followed by 1 March 2022 for the remainder. Each group of applications close at the end of July 2022. Partners and children will be included even if they are currently offshore, although the logistics of when those offshore members can actually arrive is yet to be determined.
This category is most generous and contrary to what has actually been occurring given existing residence applications are progressing at a snail’s pace and Invitations to Apply For Residence are on hold. Along with applications on hold, all manner of applications having been left unattended due to lockdown restrictions and 50,000 offshore applications have been lapsed. Additionally, IT issues have seen work visa applications lodged during August revert back to paper-based, and there have of course been delays in updating new visa expiry dates to the system.
While promising a fast online application process even the Minister of Immigration Kris Faafoi has voiced concern about Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ) ability to deliver a timely service. Observing INZ failings during a time when individuals and businesses need to step up has been personally frustrating and a great many people have been harmed. The pandemic is difficult however, my decades of experience within INZ tells me they can deliver a timely quality service if the right people have the will.
The 2021 Residence Visas will not immediately bring additional people into the workforce, it will, however, help to retain existing migrant workers, and give some relief to their employers and industry leaders even if the processing is cumbersome and time-consuming.
Nevertheless, this is a wonderful opportunity for so many. Share the news and if you, your employee or friend is likely to qualify, best they have their unique situation assessed without delay by a fully Licensed New Zealand Immigration Adviser.
Disclaimer: Mary Noonan is Heartland Immigration Ltd’s Managing Director. Her views expressed in this article are not intended to replace the professional service provided to individual migrants by a Licensed or Registered Immigration Adviser or Migration Agent.
