Routes to New Zealand Immigration To cope up with the shortage of skilled manpower, New Zealand offers many programs and routes to migrants from various countries and background for immigration.
- Skilled Worker
- Family Reunification
- Trade and Commerce
- Study
Skilled Migration to New Zealand
New Zealand's Skilled Migration Category (SMC) is points based system. It lets individuals with high education and experience to immigrate to New Zealand. Such immigrants are eligible to receive residence and work permit. A certain number of scores helps an applicant get into the set of potential migrants. Invitations regarding immigration to New Zealand are sent to these potential migrants every fortnight.
In early 2004, a new system- Skilled Migrant Category (formerly called General Skills) - was implemented against SMC. The main goal of the new system was to attract skilled individuals for the booming sectors/industries in New Zealand which encounter shortage of qualified labor.
The new Scheme has two levels/stages :
- Lodging of an Expression of Interest: To immigrate to New Zealand and be eligible for this first stage, an applicant needs a score of at least 100 points.
- Invitation to Apply for Residency: Selection is definite for those immigration and residence applicants who have either at least 140 points or a job offer prior to immigration.
New Zealand Immigration Application Process The new Zealand Immigration process includes four levels- Prerequisites, Points System, Expression of Interest Pool, Invitation to apply for Residence and Decision-making. I. Prerequisites: To be able to apply as a skilled migrant and lodge an Expression of Interest, a candidate must:
- Have good health
- Have good character
- Fulfill the threshold for English Language requirement
- Have age below 56 years
II. Points System: Various factors mentioned below can greatly help an applicant score bonus points and qualify successfully to register an Expression of Interest for New Zealand residency: A. Skilled Employment in New Zealand: The applicant is awarded bonus points if has prior employment as a skilled migrant in the following areas:
- Areas of Growth: It includes Biotechnology, Information Communications Technology and Creative industries
- An absolute Skills Shortage Area: It includes occupations listed on the Priority Occupations List
- Certain Cluster Areas: It includes
- Film Auckland
- Wellington Creative Manufacturing
- Canterbury Software
- Canterbury Nutraceuticals
- Biosouth
- Employment Outside Auckland: In this category, the applicant needs to verify that he has employment in regions outside the seven local government areas which collectively form the Auckland region. The local government areas are mentioned below:
- Rodney District Council
- North Shore City Council
- Waitakere City Council
- Auckland City Council
- Manukau City Council
- Papakura District Council
- Franklin District Council
B. Work Experience C. Qualifications: New Zealand qualification points are given after at least two years' study D. Age: Below 56 III. Expression of Interest (EOI) Pool: If you have a minimum of 100 points and pass health, character, age and English Language requirements, you become eligible for this category. IV. Invitation to apply for Residence: EOI applications with 140 points get automatically selected from the pool of potential migrants. Those applicants who have points between 140-100 and are eligible for skilled migrant program and are picked as per the point ranking. In case, the candidate is not asked to submit a full residence application within the six months of registration then his EOI is legally withdrawn. Thereafter, new EOI can be lodged.
V. Decision-making: All the documents are thoroughly checked by the immigration authorities and are either approved or rejected.
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