The Immigration Minister today announced a 2021 resident visa that will essentially give most work visa holders residence if:
- have lived in New Zealand for three or more years, or
- earn at or above the median wage ($27 per hour), or
- work in a role on a scarce list
The scarce list includes:
- jobs on the Long Term Skills Shortage List
- Jobs requiring occupational registration in the health or education sector
- personal carer and other critical health workers
- specified primary sector jobs
Migrants on short term temporary visas such as working holiday visas, student and visitor visas do not qualify.
Migrants who already applied for residence under skilled migrant category or under the residence from work category as well as migrants who submitted an EOI and have included a dependent child of age 17 and older, will be able to apply in the first phase, from 1 December 2021.
Other migrants who qualify can apply in the second phase from 1 March 2022. All applications must be made by 31 July 2022. Government expects to have applications processed within 12 months. We certainly hope so given that most residence applications have already been in process for more than 24 months.
Information about fees and the applications process will be available by the end of October.
Note that you will need to remain on a valid work visa until your application is approved.