News

On this page we will share news and stories about the immigration industry and life in New Zealand. We hope you find these useful.

Recognition of overseas qualifications

Only some specified overseas qualifications are recognised in New Zealand for immigration purposes. If your overseas qualification is not recognised, and you need it to be recognised to apply for a visa, you will need to apply to have it assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). The NZQA carries out an evaluation of […]

Median wage increase for some visa categories

From today, 28 February 2024, the new median wage of $31.61 per hour comes into effect for the following visas: Skilled Migrant Category Parent Category Green List Straight to Residence Green List Work to Residence The previous median wage of $29.66/hour will continue to be used to assess Accredited Employer work visas. If you have […]

Median wage – will it increase in February 2024 or not?

The median wage for employment based visas was due to increase in February 2024. The Government has announced that the current median wage will remain in place for Accredited Employer work visas for now. However, the median wage will increase for other visa types such as the Skilled Migrant Category. What this means is that: […]

UK Working Holiday Visa

The UK Working Holiday Visa (WHV) provides a fantastic opportunity for young British citizens to live and work temporarily in New Zealand. The UK WHV can be granted for up to three years and holders are permitted to work, study and travel in New Zealand. The visa allows the holder to work for the entire […]

Migrating to New Zealand

Migrating to New Zealand is not an easy process. Often one of the biggest challenges that migrants face is obtaining a job offer that meets immigration requirements. In many cases a migrant will need to have a job offer from an accredited employer and meet a remuneration threshold, in order to apply for a work […]

Applying for residence under the new Skilled Migrant Category

The updated Skilled Migrant category (SMC) will open on 9 October 2023. An applicant must: Be 55 years old or younger; Meet English, health and character requirements; Have skilled employment in New Zealand with an accredited employer; and Be eligible for six points. The six required points can be claimed for: One skill category: Income, […]

Upcoming changes to the Accredited Employer work visa

On 27 November 2023 some changes to the Accredited Employer work visa will come into effect. The main changes are: All Accredited Employer work visa holders will have a maximum continuous stay period Accredited Employer work visa holders paid the median wage or above will be issued a five year work visa Accredited Employer work […]

Immigration updates

There have been several policy and process changes over the last few months. Some of the highlights are: Partner of a Worker work visa changes: Most Partner of a Worker work visas are now issued with conditions which require the migrant to work for an accredited employer and to get paid the median wage or […]

New hourly rate for specified tourism and hospitality roles

From 24 April, the hourly rate required for many tourism and hospitality roles will increase to $28.18/hour. This means that if you intend to apply for an Accredited Employer work visa on or after 24 April, and your role is included in the list of specified tourism and hospitality roles, you must get paid $28.18/hour […]

Job check advertising requirements

Under the employer accreditation scheme, there are three stages. Employer Accreditation Job check Accredited Employer work visa Once an employer obtains accreditation with Immigration New Zealand, they need to apply for a job check. The job check must be approved before a migrant can apply for an Accredited Employer work visa. As part of the […]

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