• Age – you must be 55 years of age or under,
• Health – you and your family members need to be in good health,
• Character – you need to provide references of your good character (i.e. Police Certificates), and
• English language – you need to have a reasonable standard of English.
If you can satisfactorily meet the above requirements then your next step would be to submit an “expression of interest” application. The expression of interest works on a points system with points being available for:
• Skilled employment in New Zealand,
• Work experience, and
• Qualifications and other criteria.
There are also bonus points available for factors such as:
• Work available in areas identified as future growth or skill shortage or within identified clusters,
• Work available outside Auckland, and
• Qualifications gained in New Zealand over two years.
The minimum points for filing an expression of interest are 100.
Once an expression of interest has been submitted, it goes into a pool where it will stay for three months. Applicants with the highest score are drawn from the pool and invited to apply for residency. At the moment, applications are being drawn from the pool every two weeks. It needs to be noted that if your application is not selected after being in the pool for three months, then it is withdrawn. To re-enter the pool another expression of interest needs to be completed and submitted along with a further lodgment fee.
However, if your application is drawn from the pool, then you will be asked to complete a short form for residence. This will require you to forward documents such as Passports and qualifications as evidence of claims made in your expression of interest.
Then it is a matter of waiting for the Immigration Service to consider your application for residence. The Immigration Service will consider you and your family’s ability to settle successfully, your ability to contribute to New Zealand’s social / economic development and will also confirm the details submitted in your expression of interest.
If successful you will be granted a resident Visa or Permit or you may be issued with a work Visa or Permit that will allow you to move from work to residence.
Mike Mika is a staff solicitor at Preston Russell Law. You can contact him by clicking here.
