Resident Visa
We assess your profile and circumstances thoroughly and advise a personalised pathway to residency in New Zealand.
Resident Visa Options:
- 2021 Resident Visa
- Skill Migration Category
- Green List Occupations
- Family Stream Category (partner and dependent children)
2021 Resident Visa
The government introduced a limited pathway to residence for people who are already living and working in New Zealand during COVID 19 situation and supported New Zealand in this tough time.
Applications opened on 1 December 2021 for the first phase of people eligible to apply. The second phase opened on 1 March 2022.
The deadline to apply for the 2021 Resident Visa is 31 July 2022. No application will be accepted after this date.
How it works
The applicant needs to have been in New Zealand on an eligible visa on 29 September 2021 AND meet one of the following three criteria:
Settled:
Have lived in New Zealand for three years
To be eligible under this criteria,
- you must have lived in New Zealand for the past three or more years and:
- have arrived in New Zealand on or before 29 September 2018, and
- have spent at least of 821 days in New Zealand between 29 September 2018 and 29 September 2021 (inclusive).
The time spent in New Zealand does not need to be consecutive and there is no minimum amount for each year.
Skilled Criteria:
Earn at least $27 per hour.
To be eligible under this criterion,
- you must be paid the median wage of NZD $27 per hour or above as off 29 September 2021 and on the date of application for the 2021 Resident Visa.
Scarce Criteria:
You are eligible under this criterion if your role is one of the following:
- On the Long-Term Skills Shortage List
- A job requiring occupational registration in the health or education sector
- Personal carer and other critical health workers
- Specified primary sector jobs
Critical Purpose Visa holders
If you arrive in New Zealand as a critical health worker or other critical worker for a longer-term role you do not need to meet settled, skilled or scarce criteria if you:
- held a visa as a critical health worker or other critical worker on 29 September 2021; or
- were granted a visa as a critical health worker or other critical worker after 29 September 2021.
If you meet the above but move to an eligible work visa before applying for a 2021 Resident Visa, you will not have to meet the settled, skilled, or scarce criteria.
Critical Purpose visa holders must arrive in New Zealand and apply for the 2021 Resident Visa before 31 July 2022 to be eligible. The applicant must be in New Zealand to apply.
A Critical Purpose Visa must either be for:
a critical health worker for a longer-term role (6 months or more); or
another critical worker for a long-term role (more than 6 months).
Skill Migration Category
New Zealand offers a direct pathway to residence under Skill Migration Category for applicants who can demonstrate that they have qualifications and/or work experience that satisfies country’s workforce needs. This is a points-based system and remained the most popular visa application pathway for skilled workers until 2021 Resident Visa category started.
As the name suggests, Skill Migration Category is entirely based on your skills and potential to contribute to New Zealand’s workforce. The eligibility under this category is determined through Expression of Interest. It is open for the applicants who are aged 55 years or younger and can meet the required number of “points” when submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI). If an applicant has the required number of points, then their EOI will be selected from the “pool,” a process which takes place once every 2 weeks.
(* Please note down that currently, EOI selections are suspended till further notification. Since 20th March 2020, the government had suspended the selections of EOI because of closure of borders due to COVID 19 situation)
How it works
The skilled migrant category is based on a points system, which are determined on the basis of your qualifications, work experience, New Zealand employment or job offer and a number of other factors. Expressions of Interest claiming 160 points or above may be invited to apply.
Green List Occupations
If your occupation is in Green List and you meet the qualification and relevant work experience related requirements, mentioned in Green List related to your occupation, you are eligible for residency. If your occupation is listed in Tier 1 you would be eligible after 3 months while it would be after 2 years if your occupation is listed in Tier 2 of the Green List.
As it has newly been introduced by the government, we are still waiting for complete immigration instructions related to this category in the operational manual. The information will be updated as soon as the operational manual is updated by the government.
Family Stream Category (partner and dependent children)
If you are a partner of a New Zealand citizen/resident or permanent resident visa holder and spent at least 12 months together in an ongoing genuine and stable relationship, you may be eligible for residency based on partnership.
· Please note down that Immigration New Zealand doesn’t support polygamy.
Dependent children of New Zealand citizen/resident or permanent resident visa holder are also eligible for residency.
· Please click on Partnership/Dependent children for more details.