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Changes to Immigration Operational Policy – November 2009
A continuing professional development workbook for people giving immigration advice
Temporary entry: work
Essential skills
Essential Skills minimum income threshold
- Essential Skills work permit holders who want dependent children to live with them in NZ must earn at least $33,675.
- Assessment made when child’s application made.
- Does not apply to applicants whose parents were granted a work permit before 30 November 2009, or applicants under Samoan Quota Scheme or Pacific Access Category.
Minimum income threshold
A minimum income threshold is being introduced for Essential Skills work permit holders who want their dependent children to live with them in New Zealand.
When the child of an Essential Skills work visa/permit holder is applying for a visitor’s or student visa/permit to live with their parent(s) in New Zealand, their application must include evidence that their parent meets a minimum income threshold of NZ$33,675 per annum gross.
Assessment will be made when an application is made for the dependent child/children.
- Does not apply to people whose parents were granted a work permit before 30 November 2009.
- Does not apply to applicants under Samoan Quota Scheme or Pacific Access Category.
Children born in New Zealand to Essential Skills work permit-holders will only be tested when their parent next applies for an Essential Skills work permit.
Why?
This threshold has been introduced to ensure a basic standard of living for temporary migrant families while they are in New Zealand and to ensure that the living standards of migrant workers do not fall below those families supported by the income support system. Unlike residents, temporary migrants are not eligible for government benefits.
For more information, see our website’s questions and answers.
Working holiday schemes
Working holiday schemes
- Applicants must show they can meet onward travel requirements as defined in general work policy (rather than have a return ticket).
Applicants must show they can meet onward travel requirements as defined in general work policy (rather than having a return ticket to their home country).
Generic WHS policy has been clarified to state that the objective of WHS is primarily to allow young people to holiday in New Zealand, but they may also undertake work and study in accordance with their scheme.
The provision listing the types of permits a working holidaymaker can apply for has been removed, as a working holidaymaker can apply for any type of permit.
Philippines special work policy
Philippines Special Work Policy
- Philippines Special Work Policy allows limited numbers of workers from the Philippines to enter for temporary employment as:
- farm manager (max 20 at any one time)
- engineering professional (max 20 at any one tim)
- nurse (max 100 at any one time)
There is a quota of persons who may hold a visa/permit under this policy, at any one time. A place taken under the quota will not be available to a new applicant for three years.
Along with their application form and fee, all applicants must:
- provide application form and fee
- have a New Zealand job offer in one of these occupations (a labour market check is NOT required under this policy)
- provide evidence they meet the qualification and experience requirements
- meet health and character requirements.
Find the policy under International/Humanitarian Work Policies at WI11.
Farm managers and engineering professionals must be ordinarily and actually resident in the Philippines at the time of the first application and applications must be lodged with INZ’s Manila Branch. Further applications for the balance of the three years may be lodged in New Zealand.
Philippines nurses are not required to be resident in the Philippines at the time of application and may apply from anywhere (including from within New Zealand).
Farm Managers
Farm managers must have:
- a job offer from a New Zealand employer as a farm manager
- the job offer assessed as equivalent to ANZSCO Skill Level 1
- a relevant qualification and/or work experience.
Engineering professionals
Engineering professionals must have:
- a job offer from a New Zealand employer as an engineering professional
- the job offer assessed as equivalent to ANZSCO Skill Level 1
- a bachelor degree (level 7 or above) qualification registered on the International
- Professional Engineers register or APEC Engineers Register or Washington Accord accredited degree
- New Zealand registration, where required.
Existing policy allows the issue of three month visitor's visas to applicants who need to come to New Zealand to obtain registration. They will, however, be required to return to the Philippines to lodge their application under this policy.
Nurses
Nurses must have:
- a job offer as a registered nurse
- their qualification assessed as equivalent to a New Zealand Bachelor of Nursing or Diploma in Comprehensive Nursing (diploma or hospital based certificate)
- New Zealand registration.
Philippines nurses registration
Nurses from the Philippines registration
Nurses from the Philippines may work while meeting their registration requirements. (Not restricted to nurses applying under the Philippines Special Work Policy.)
Nurses do not have to be applying under the special work policy to take advantage of this change in policy.
Philippines nurses seeking entry to New Zealand to obtain occupational registration may be issued a work visa valid for up to three months to enable them to work while studying to sit the registration examination. They must have a job offer from a District Health Board, and must have been accepted for the Nursing Council’s Competence Assessment Programme.
Applicants must provide written confirmation from the appropriate registration body that they:
- are eligible to undertake the registration process in New Zealand, and
- have completed any enrolment requirements, including English language requirements
Successful applicants will be issued with a work visa valid for travel for six months from date of issue.
On arrival they may be granted a work permit for a maximum of three years, in line with their job offer, and issued a multiple entry work visa for the same period.
If the initial work permit is valid for less than three years, a further visa/permit may be issued/granted to the applicant for the balance. Applicants must still meet all the requirements of the policy.
The validity of further work visas/permits will be tied to the length of the job offer, up to a maximum of three years from the initial work permit. On completion of the three-year period, applicants must remain out of New Zealand for three years before applying for a further visa under this policy.
Vietnam special work policy
Vietnam Special Work Policy
Vietnam Special Work Policy allows limited numbers of workers from Vietnam can enter for temporary employment as:
- chefs (max 100 at any one time),
- engineering professionals (max 100 at any one time).
There is a quota of persons who may hold a visa/permit under this policy, at any one time. A place taken under the quota will not be available to a new applicant for three years.
Applicants must be ordinarily and actually resident in Vietnam at the time of the first application and applications must be lodged with INZ’s Ho Chi Minh Branch. Further applications for the balance of the three years may be lodged in New Zealand.
Along with their application form and fee, all applicants must:
- have a New Zealand job offer in one of these occupations (no labour market check required)
- show they meet the qualification and experience requirements
- meet health and character requirements.
Find the policy under International/Humanitarian Work Policies at WI12.
All applicants must provide written confirmation from the appropriate registration body that they are eligible to undertake the registration process in New Zealand, and have completed any enrolment requirements, including English language requirements.
Successful applicants will be issued with a work visa valid for travel for six months from date of issue. On arrival they may be:
- granted a work permit for a maximum of three years, in line with their job offer, and
- issued a multiple entry work visa for the same period.
If the initial work permit is valid for less than three years, a further visa/permit may be issued/granted to the applicant for the balance.
Applicants must still meet all the requirements of the policy.
The validity of further work visas/permits will be tied to the length of job offer, up to a maximum of three years from the initial work permit.
At the end of the three-year period, applicants must remain out of New Zealand for three years before applying for a further visa under this policy.
Engineering professionals
Engineering professionals must have:
- a job offer from a New Zealand employer as an engineering professional
- a job offer assessed as equivalent to ANZSCO Skill Level 1
- a bachelor degree (level 7 or above) qualification registered on the International Professional Engineers register or APEC Engineers Register or Washington Accord accredited degree
- New Zealand registration, where required.
Although existing policy allows the issue of three-month visitor's visas to applicants who need to come to New Zealand to obtain registration, they will have to return to Vietnam to lodge their application
Vietnamese chefs
Vietnamese chefs must have:
- a job offer from a New Zealand employer as a Vietnamese chef
- a job offer assessed as equivalent to ANZSCO Skill Level 3
- a relevant qualification and/or work experience.