Less than 24 hours ago, the Minister of Immigration announced the details of the employer-led temporary visa application system. These changes will be rolled out over a 18 month period.
We will see a three-phase rollout starting 07 October 2019 followed by mid 2020 changes and finally 2021 where employers are targeted.
Below is a summary of what to expect:
| Visa Category | Change | Effective Date | Advice / Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work to Residence -(Accredited Employer) | Annual salary increases from $55,000 to $79,560 ( based on a 40 hour week) | 07 October 2019 | You can apply for this visa up unto 06 October 2019 |
| Residence From Work (Accredited Employer) | Removal of a Permanent residence visa if you earn +$90,000 p.a. | 07 October 2019 | You will still obtain a Resident Visa. You will need to show further commitment to New Zealand for a further 2 years (4 years in total) |
| Employer Accreditation | Only allowing employers accreditation with INZ for 24 months | 07 October 2019 | The removal of accreditation for a 5 year period. Employers will have to re-apply after 24 months. |
| Sector Agreements introduced | Negotiations start October 2019 for sector of Residential Care and Meat processing.Dairy, Forestry, Road/Freight Transport, Tourism and Hospitality start negotiations by 2020. | Mid -2020 – first two sector agreements will be announced.The remaining four sectors will be addressed from mid 2020. | TBC |
| Essential Skills Work Visa | Skill-levels and wages. ANZSCO will not be used determine rate of pay.High-paid jobs will be defined as “at or above” median wage.Low-paid jobs will be below median wage. | Mid -2020 | High-paid jobs will be issued with a 3-5 year visa.Low-paid jobs will still be issued with a one year work visa. This will be dependent on the region they are employed in. This will include all applicants earning less the Median Wage.The median is currently at $25 p/hour which is reviewed and amended every November. |
| Essential Skills Work Visa | Low-paid applicants will be able to support their family’s visas. They must however meet the minimum income threshold. | Mid -2020 | They will be issued a 12-month visa, with a maximum stay of three years. They will have a stand-down period of 12 months, after the three years. There is no certainty of remaining in New Zealand longer than three years. |
1. Essential Skills Work Visa 2. Essential Skills Work Visa – Approval in Principle 3. Talent (Accredited Employer) 4. Talent (LTSSL) 5. Silver Fern Job Search 6. Silver Fern Practical Experience | Six visa categories will be scrapped | By 2021 | TBC – a new visa system will be introduced. This will also change the landscape of the Residence Category. |
| Mandatory Employer Accreditation | All employers looking to employ migrants will require accreditation from INZ | By 2021 | There will be three types of accreditation on offer. |