Who does the Skilled Migrant Category cover?
The Skilled Migrant Category a visa which may apply to those with specific work skills needed by employers in NZ. It is a two stage process that is based on points. Points are granted for:
• Work Experience
• Qualifications
• Age
• Skilled employment in NZ
Applicants may also be eligible for bonus points which may be granted in a number of additional areas, depending on an their your specific circumstances.
The minimum required number of points is 100
The Expression Of Interest (EOI) for this visa will be entered into a pool so long as prima facie the applicant has claimed at least 100 points.
Thereafter there is effectively different classes of skilled migrants:
Class 1. Those claiming 140 points which includes an offer of skilled employment.
Class 2. Those claiming 140 points which does not include an offer of skilled employment.
Class 3. Those claiming 100 -135 points which includes an offer of skilled employment.
Class 4. Those claiming at least 100 points which includes a claim to six years of work experience in an area of absolute skills shortage.
Class 5. Those claiming at least 100 points which includes a claim to two or more years (but less than six) of work experience in an area of absolute skills shortage.
Class 6. Those claiming at least 100 points which includes a claim to a recognized qualification in an area of absolute skills shortage.
Class 7. Everyone else claiming at least 100 points.
What is the process?
The first stage of the SMC process is to have a customized assessment to determine your potential points score. If 100 points or above are attained, we then lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) with Immigration New Zealand. EOIs will be entered into a pool and applicants who score at least 140 points, will automatically have their EOIs selected.
As INZ also works on quota’s, if there are not enough EOIs selected to meet the quota, they will then select from those applicants scoring between 100 and 140 points with skilled employment in NZ. Next will be those scoring points for work experience and/or qualifications in areas of absolute skill shortage. The final group for selection if there still remains places available in the quota are those who score at least 100 points but who do not have an offer of skilled employment or qualify for bonus points.
Obviously the goal is to find every available point for your EOI as missing points may mean the difference between being selected and not. The process sounds simple but it is far from it. Our skilled licensed immigration advisors are trained to understand every aspect of the points system. You can apply for this and all visa’s by yourself but there are many potential areas where errors can be made including:
1. An applicant may appear to achieve more than 100 points however determining whether or not an offer of 'skilled' employment will be necessary to validate other aspects of the application is vital to the success of the EOI. Skilled employment is defined in accordance with historical NZ Government data and does change according to the country’s needs.
2. When an EOI is lodged without an accompanying offer of skilled employment, applicants with high level points may be invited to apply for residence. They will most likely receive a six month work-to-residence visa. This will provide the applicant some time to secure skilled employment. Once the applicant has secured a position in their area of skilled employment and worked in that position for three months, they may then apply to complete the second stage of the SMC process which is application for residence.
3. It is imperative that the information stated on the EOI is accurate and can be substantiated. If this is not the case the applicant may compromise their chance of being selected from the pool. Similarly, when lodging an application for residence, any variation from the EOI will be viewed as suspect by Immigration New Zealand and may result in an unfavorable outcome.
4. Immigration rules and policy is ever changing. Your Aotearoa Abroad Immigration consultant will advise you on the current INZ definitions of 'recognized' qualifications, 'skilled' employment, 'relevant' work experience, 'recognized' work experience, 'comparable' labour market and the many other terms applicable to this category. These terms are very specifically defined by INZ and it is easy for an untrained person to misinterpret their meaning and weaken an otherwise strong application.
5. Immigration New Zealand operates a 'global prioritization' process. This allows individual visa officers to approve or lapse any EOI for any reason. That reason may even conflict with policy. As there is no right of appeal or reconsideration of EOI decisions, it is important that an application is as air tight as possible.
6. Getting it right first time is the best policy. There is no right of appeal or reconsideration if for any reason Immigration New Zealand decides not to issue an invitation to apply for residence.
Again, on first reading the process may appear to be quite simple. It is important to note that this category of visa is highly complex and the risk of inadvertently compromising the application when applying oneself are great. Applicants submitting under this category are strongly advised to seek professional advice. Our immigration advisors will provide you with the strongest application based on your unique case.
How long can my application remain in the "pool"?
If you are not successful in being drawn from the EOI pool within six months your application will be declined, or rather you will be advised that your expression of interest has not been successful.
What will be my fees?
Affordable immigration is important to us and where needed, we do organize staged payments for our clients. Visa fees vary with each application based on the complexity. They may also vary based on the number of accompanying family members. We understand the need for cost effective immigration services and we will be pleased to provide a detailed quotation, without obligation, subject to a positive assessment. We also offer a money back guarantee on our assessments.*
Minimum Criteria
The following are the minimum criteria which all Skilled Migrant applicants are required to meet:
1. All residence and also many temporary entry applicants must provide current medical certificates. Medical certificates are time sensitive and have a short-term validity period for immigration purposes. As medicals carry a cost, we advise you not to obtain your medical certificates until we advise you to do so.
2. Applicants aged 17 and older, must provide police certificates and meet the good character requirements set by INZ
3. Recognized qualifications must be equivalent to at least a level 4 New Zealand tertiary qualification; although some level 3 qualifications are acceptable.
4. If your qualification is in a field which includes a professional body and requires registration to practice, you must obtain New Zealand registration before lodging your EOI; and your work experience must relate to your qualification unless an offer of skilled employment has been received, which although relevant to your qualification, does not require registration. We have provided a list of Occupations Requiring Registration.
5. The principal applicant must be aged between 20 and 55 years when the residence application is lodged.
6. The principal applicant' must be fluent in spoken and written English. The minimum acceptable level is 'an English speaking background' or an 'International English Language Testing System' (IELTS) test confirming an overall band score of 6.5 in the in the general training module. Evidence will be required. Your spouse/partner and other 'non-principal applicants' aged 16 and over who do not meet the standard may pre-purchase English language tuition. The cost of the English language tuition will depend on the level obtained in the IELTS test and the educational institution that you attend. Our Aotearoa Abroad educational consultants can assist you with advice and enrolments.
7. You must be able to support and accommodate yourself and your family for your first two years in New Zealand.
Assessments
Having reviewed this information, if you believe you qualify for Skilled Migrant Assessment, you may complete a questionnaire which will download to us for assessment. Our comprehensive assessment is designed to identify the points you will achieve under SMC policy, and includes a comparison of the information you have provided about your work experience and any offer of employment you have, with the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) and relevant data from the NZ Immigration Operational Manual.
Please note, your assessment is performed by skilled and qualified members of our team. Because of the increasing complexity of immigration policy, the time and expertise involved in performing assessments and our legal responsibilities under New Zealand legislation, there is a NZD $100 fee for each assessment. The fee may be paid via PayPal by major credit card. If you do not wish to use PayPal you are welcome to contact us for an alternative mode of payment. To complete an assessment, please go to our Visa Eligibility Assessment
* As per terms and conditions
There are many categories of visas. If you do not qualify under the Skilled Migrant criteria, please go to Family, Business or Corporate