IMMIGRATION POLICY CHANGES

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 CategoryChangeEffective DateAdvice / Comments
PHASE 1
Work to Residence -(Accredited Employer)Annual salary increases from $55,000 to $79,560 ( based on a 40 hour week)07 October 2019You 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 2019You 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 AccreditationOnly allowing employers accreditation with INZ for 24 months07 October 2019The removal of accreditation for a 5 year period. Employers will have to re-apply after 24 months.
PHASE 2
Sector Agreements introducedNegotiations 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 VisaSkill-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 -2020High-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 VisaLow-paid applicants will be able to support their family’s visas. They must however meet the minimum income threshold.Mid -2020They 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.
PHASE 3

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 scrappedBy 2021TBC – a new visa system will be introduced. This will also change the landscape of the Residence Category.
Mandatory Employer AccreditationAll employers looking to employ migrants will require accreditation from INZBy 2021There will be three types of accreditation on offer.