Invitation to apply for Residence

When the  EOI has been selected from the pool, the applicant will be sent an ITA. This step involves the applicant providing proof of the claims that has been made on the  EOI, such as police and medical certificates, proof of skills and experience, and proof of English language ability.

Also it is important to note that the date on which application for Skilled Migration is made  with immigration New Zealand determines the policy on which the application will be assessed under. Therefore, the policy that was current when the application is submitted the Expression of Interest may not necessarily be the policy that your application is assessed against.

ASSESSMENT - When an application, along with the documents is received by immigration New Zealand it is checked to ensure that the applicant meets all requirements and the points claims are valid.

The applicant may at this stage be required to sit an interview, which will be useful  for the applicant to  determine the ability to settle in New Zealand successfully. If the application is sufficient this interview may be waived, but this is totally at the discretion of Immigration New Zealand.

After the application has been fully assessed, if the applicant meets all the criteria and it has been determined that the applicant  will settle successfully in New Zealand residence visa or permit will be offered to the applicant.

If Immigration New Zealand determines that the applicant may have trouble settling in New Zealand but think he/she has potential, then a work to residence visa or permit. This will allow the applicant  to obtain an offer of skilled employment for up to nine months; if the applicant is
able to do this the  residence application will be approved.


HIGHLY SKILLED WORKERS - If you are a highly skilled worker, your application to New Zealand may be processed much faster due to new work policy changes. The new Essential Skills work policy separates occupations into highly skilled and lower skilled levels.  Those applying for highly skilled visas may now be eligible for a temporary work permit, rather than a permanent residency visa.

If you are a highly skilled worker and are applying for a skill level one occupation that earns over $55,000, you can now be granted a five year work permit, rather than having to apply for a Residence Visa.  You can also apply for three-year extensions to your permit, provided the need for your skill still exists at the time of application.