Every year, hundreds of young people flock to our shores – and us to theirs, on working holiday schemes. Immigration New Zealand has announced 19 of these schemes are being put on hold during this global crisis.
Working Holiday visas are agreed at a government to government level allowing thousands of 18 to 30 year-olds, or in the case of our Canadian cousins, up to 35 years-old, leave or arrive into New Zealand on these visas.
While the agreement between each country differs in its detail, what they have in common is they allow young people the opportunity to visit and work in a different country. Many participants work in their professions, however, often they travel around picking up casual work in agriculture, hospitality and retail industries. Here in New Zealand, these workers are a welcome addition for seasonal peaks for many employers. This year however these peaks will need to be serviced from within the local communities.
A number of schemes are uncapped and they remain unaffected however, a proportion have quotas with managed opening, then closing, once the predetermined number has been achieved.
The INZ announcement sees 19 of these schemes being put on hold and not opening for a new intake.
Travel to these countries on the Working Holiday scheme is now on hold:
- Argentina
- Austria
- Brazil
- China
- Croatia
- Estonia
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Peru
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Spain
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Turkey
- Vietnam.
Regrettably, travel for pleasure is a long way off and this is a sensible measure.
Disclaimer: Mary Noonan is Heartland Immigration Ltd Managing Director and her views, expressed in this article are not intended to replace the professional service provided to individual migrants by a Licensed Immigration Advisers.
Warm Greetings
We’re open and here to help in these difficult times. I assure you the Heartland Immigration team remains committed to helping you and making any immigration or settlement query as simple as possible..
We are set up to work remotely and will answer existing phone numbers and emails as usual during our standard office hours. If the matter is urgent please phone 0800 INZ VISA.
I am very aware you are being bombarded with a huge amount of information, so I will keep this communication brief.
Visas expiring between 2 April and 9 July 2020
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will automatically extend visas due to expire between the 02nd April to the 09th July 2020. They will either send you an email directly or most likely to us, and in that case, we will immediately send that on to you.
There will be delays at INZ, as they have had to send staff home, and not all of their activities can be done remotely, so your patience is appreciated.
Employers
For those operating at top speed, call me now if you have a concern. Let me deal with that worry, freeing you up to do what you do best. For others concentrating on forward planning, don’t forget to consider your visa plans – again this is where I can make it simple for you.
Finally in the words of my ancestors “May God keep you in the palm of his hand until we meet again”
Mary Noonan
Managing Director
While thousands of people around the country are facing joblessness, our managing director, Matt Jones is calling for people who want work.
The need for workers in essential services has increased as a result of implications from the Covid-19 outbreak.
“The work does not stop — it’s ramped up as some of our clients in the primary production sector increase production to meet New Zealand’s needs.
For the full article, click here
July 2019 saw the introduction of the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). A $NZ35 contribution to New Zealand’s infrastructure and natural environment preservation expenses.
The IVL is collected when travellers apply for visas through Immigration New Zealand (INZ) or for visa free travellers, arriving post 1st October 2019, when they apply for an Electronic Travel Authorities (ETA).
New Zealand, Australian citizens and residents are exempt along with:
– Resident and Transit visas
– Diplomatic, military, medical, and humanitarian visas
– People travelling to Antarctica under the Antarctic Treaty (including people
travelling on the Antarctic Traveller Transit Visa)
– Recognised Seasonal Employment workers
– Business Visitor Visas (including APEC business travel cards)
– Ship and airline crew
– Most visas for dependents (partners and children) of work and student visa
holders
– Travellers whose visa requirements have been waived by INZ
– United Nations laissez-passer document holders
– People from American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall – Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Niue, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, — Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu & Vanuatu.
Delays with processing visa applications
Recent media reports highlight delays at Immigration New Zealand particularly for work, partnership and student visa applications.
The INZ published timeframes for completion of 95% of visitor applications is 45 days, four months for fee paying overseas students, partners of New Zealanders, partners of students and essential skills work visa applications. A year for skilled migrant applications.
Add on the time to attempt to recruit within New Zealand, time to prepare an application and employers face staff gaps in excess of half a year.
I acknowledge that striking the correct balance between facilitating visa applications and protecting New Zealand is difficult. Determining value is also complex. It is however time to define an acceptable risk based on the fact that INZ can’t get it right 100% of the time. What is important is that when mistakes are made they are readily corrected, people are compensated and compliance action taken against those found in breach of our laws.
Allowing delays to continue will see overseas students abandon New Zealand educational institutes, splitting families is never good and for employers desperate to recruit offshore delays cause uncertainty and loss of production. Anxiety levels for clients, family, employers and INZ staff will increase and that in itself becomes counterproductive and reduces wellbeing.
The American politician, attorney and educator Eliot Laurence Spitzer says it best “Delay is the enemy of progress.”
Disclaimer: Mary Noonan is Heartland Immigration Ltd Managing Director and her views, expressed in this article are not intended to replace the professional service provided to individual migrants by a Licensed Immigration Advisers.
The surge of visits to the Immigration New Zealand website after the Liberal Coalitions win in Australia is yet another reminder of how popular New Zealand is and how fortunate we are to live here.
The recent allegation that New Zealand’s refugee policy discriminates against vulnerable people from Africa and the Middle East is concerning and in my view harsh. Refugees regardless of their source countries are by definition vulnerable and resettlement decisions must be deliberate and well considered to achieve good outcomes. The last thing a refugee needs is further barriers so housing, jobs and wrap around support services are a must along with capacity within the host community.
There is no room for additional disenfranchised folk in New Zealand and our unique geographical location doesn’t allow for displaced people to find temporary placements here. New Zealand’s refugee settlement therefore must focus on new arrivals becoming self-sufficient, socially integrated and independent as soon as practical. Neither can we resettle literally millions of asylum seekers, stateless individuals and various types of displaced people so prioritising occurs and that does come at the cost of excluding many well deserving individuals. The reality of immigration decision making is hard if the wider good is to be maintained. Certainly open discussion, and clear published criteria are essential.
Great to learn that Ashburton is the sixth new refugee settlement location following the Government’s decision to increase the annual refugee quota to 1,500 places next year. Many employers have unfilled vacancies, the community is welcoming and very accustomed to new faces.
I have happy, and at times humbling, memories of working with refugees and the level of joy and anticipated when traveling into New Zealand with new New Zealanders was electric. Many years later I was reminded that one little girl I escorted grew up and became a very capable professional and a respected colleague. World Refugee Day is the 20th June and I encourage us all not to label anyone living in New Zealand as a refugee given They are us now.
New Zealand Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway announced the retirement of the Immediate Skill Shortage List while introducing the Regional Skill Shortage List providing at last more focus on regional employment needs. The 15 newly defined regions are Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Hawkes’s Bay, Marlborough, Nelson-Tasman, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast, Whanganui–Manawatu.
Shortage lists, which include Long Term Skills Shortage (LTSS), Construction & Infrastructure Skill Shortage List and the new formated Regional Skill Shortage List (RSSL) provides employers and migrant workers alike with the security that the role is one which can be considered for a work visa without the need to proof locals aren’t available and which are particularly desirable for residence eligibility. Roles must be in the defined region and migrants must meet the minimum qualification and work experience criteria.
Early childhood, primary and secondary school teachers have been added to the new Regional Skill Shortage List while aged care registered nurses have been added to the Long Term Skills Shortage List. Plumbers are now listed as being in short supply throughout New Zealand and appear so in the Construction and Infrastructure Shortage List while and other smaller amendments have been included all lists. For roles not found in these lists good visa options exist although at times the process can be more complicated and longer.
The Labour Lead Coalition Budget 2019, released last month, focuses on the “well being” and is just the sentiment which drove early settlers to New Zealand and remains just as relevant today. The messaging to business, community and the world is positive and holistic.
Kind regards
Mary Noonan
Managing Director
Disclaimer: Mary Noonan is Heartland Immigration Ltd Managing Director and her views, expressed in this article, are not intended to replace the professional service provided to individual migrants by a Licensed Immigration Adviser.
As the cost of living for households rise every year it is important to ensure that families coming to New Zealand have sufficient means to live here. This is why INZ have recently announced that their income thresholds that parents must meet in order to support dependents for the Samoan Quota and Pacific Access Category, Essential Skills and Religious Worker visa have increased. The Samoan Quota and Pacific Access Category has increased from $38 199.20 to $38 577.76 and the Essential Skills and Religious Worker income threshold has increased from $42 944.20 to $43 322.76.
This is a responsible move on the part of INZ as it is important that we not only encourage migrants to come and live in New Zealand to strengthen our culture and society but we also have a responsibility to ensure that we give our migrant families the best standard of living. As a father I understand that supporting children is expensive and having this increase to adjust for the standard of living in New Zealand is the right thing to do.
If you would like to discuss options of getting your family to migrate to New Zealand give me a call on 0800 INZ VISA.
Nils Macfarlane
New Zealand Licensed Immigration Adviser
IAA Licence No 201401035
Heartland Immigration
Tel: 0800 469 8472 | Skype: heartland1111
www.heartlandimmigration.co.nz
