The 2021 Resident Visa – Details Announced
Immigration New Zealand has confirmed new details about the 2021 Resident Visa category, which offers a one-off opportunity for many migrants who are currently living and working in New Zealand to apply for a residence visa. Immigration New Zealand states that the 2021 Residence Visa category “recognises the immense contribution migrants have made to New Zealand during COVID-19 and the uncertainty they’ve faced with closed borders and necessary changes to immigration settings”.
Eligibility for the 2021 Residence Visa
Applicants must have met the criteria on 29 September 2021. To be eligible applicants must:
- have been in New Zealand on 29 September 2021, and
- be on an eligible visa (or have applied for an eligible visa) before 29 September 2021 that is later granted.
All applicants must have been on an eligible visa on 29 September 2021, and hold an eligible visa at the time their application for residence is lodged. These include the following temporary visas:
- Post Study Work Visa;
- Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa;
- Essential Skills Work Visa;
- Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa;
- Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa;
- Some Critical Purpose Visitor Visas (CPVV).
They must also meet one of the following three criteria:
- “Settled” – have lived in New Zealand for three or more years; o
- “Skilled” – earn at or above the median wage ($27 per hour); or
- ‘Scarce” – have employment in an occupation this is on the ‘scarce list’.
Principal applicants must have been in New Zealand or Australia on 29 September 2021, or subsequently granted an eligible Critical Purpose visa. Those in Australia must have left New Zealand between 6 April 2021 and 23 July 2021 (inclusive). All applicants must be in New Zealand to lodge their application for residence under the 2021 Resident Visa category.
Settled criteria
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 a minimum of 821 days in New Zealand between 29 September 2018 and 29 September 2021 (inclusive).
Immigration New Zealand will use travel records to determine whether an applicant is settled.
Skilled Criteria
To be eligible under this criteria, you must have a contract for employment that is genuine and full time (a minimum of 30 hours per week) with a pay rate that is at or above the median wage, equivalent to $27.00 per hour for each hour worked.
SCARCE CRITERIA
To be eligible under this criteria, you must have a contract for employment that is genuine and full time (a minimum of 30 hours per week) in an occupation that is included in one of the four ‘scarce’ lists below.
- jobs on the Long Terms Skills Shortage List; or
- jobs requiring occupation registration in the health or education sector; or
- personal carer and other critical health workers; or
- specified primary sector jobs.
WHEN CAN I LODGE MY APPLICATION FOR RESIDENCE?
Immigration New Zealand has confirmed that applications for the 2021 Resident Visa will open in two phases:
- Phase One opens on 1 December 2021
- Phase Two opens on March 2022
Phase One:
From 1 December 2021, people who have submitted a Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) or Residence from Work (RfW) application can apply, as well as those with dependent children 17 years or older who currently have an SMC Expression of Interest (EOI) submitted.
Phase Two:
From 1 March 2022, all other eligible applicants, including any others in the SMC Expression of Interest pool, can apply.
Who can be Included in a 2021 Residence Visa Application?
Visa holders can also include their partners and dependents in their application. This includes partners and dependent children who are outside of New Zealand.
Dependent children aged over 25 years
Where a dependent child aged 25 and over was included in a skilled residence or Expression of Interest (EOI) on or before 29 September, they cannot be included as a dependent child in a 2021 Resident Visa application. However, INZ has provided that they can submit their own application as an attached document when they submit their online 2021 Resident Visa application. There will be no additional fee charged for the child.
Health and Character Requirements
All applicants must meet the heath and character requirements for the 2021 Resident Visa. In general, overseas police certificates will not be required unless specifically requested by an Immigration Officer. Limited medical certificates and chest x-ray certificates will be required if the previously submitted ones are more than 36 months old, or there have been subsequent changes to an applicant’s health, or an applicant’s standard of health was previously deemed to have not met requirements. Immigration New Zealand may request further information as part of the application process.
Processing Times
The 2021 Resident Visa category has a simplified application process to ensure that applications are processed as quickly as possible. Immigration New Zealand hopes that the majority of applications will be processed within a year of the category opening.
Application Costs
The total cost of the 2021 Resident Visa is NZD$2,160 including GST. This includes an NZD$1,330 application fee and NZD$830 immigration levy.
Where an applicant has previously lodged a Skilled Migrant Category or Residence from Work application (or submitted an Expression of Interest), they will not be required to pay the 2021 Resident Visa application fee upfront when their application is lodged.
Once an in-principle decision has been made on the application, the difference between the fee already paid and the 2021 Residence Visa fee will be assessed and either the credit refunded, or the difference in fees paid, subject to withdrawing the SMC application, Residence from Work application or the Expression of Interest.
Getting Professional Assistance
The Migration Associates team has a proven track-record of providing comprehensive and authoritative New Zealand immigration advice, and we are assisting many clients who are among the thousands of migrants eligible to apply for residence under the 2021 Resident Visa category. We can assist you to determine whether you and your family are eligible, and plan your pathway to residence in New Zealand. If you have any questions about your eligibility to apply for residence under the 2021 Resident Visa category, please fill out the form here. Alternatively, you can contact your Licensed Immigration Adviser directly for assistance.
2021 RESIDENT VISA – FREE INITIAL VISA EVALUATION
Borey Chum +64 (0) 277514276 borey.chum@migrationassociates.co.nz
Christine Yap +64 (0) 211740937 christine.yap@migrationassociates.co.nz
Michael Cooke +64 (0) 277514276 michael.cooke@migrationassociates.co.nz
Vivian Booth +64 (0) 211740937 vivian.booth@migrationassociates.co.nz
