22/05/2024 - Record numbers are leaving NZ – but is the grass greener overseas?

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New Zealand lost more than 1000 citizens a week in the year to March 31, amid a contracting economy and rising unemployment. What can they expect in the countries they’re moving to?

For every citizen who migrated back to New Zealand in the year ended March 2024, another three New Zealanders decided to leave the country, according to Stats NZ.

The record net migration loss of 52,000 New Zealand citizens came at the same time the country experienced a net migration gain of 163,000 non-citizens.

As Q+A presenter Jack Tame wrote last week, New Zealand’s population grew amid a recession, a 25% drop in consents for new dwellings, an increase in the average rent, inflation that still sits at 4%, and an expectation that unemployment will soon top 5%.

“Young Zealanders now find themselves competing with more people for relatively fewer houses and relatively fewer jobs,” Tame wrote.

“And, as we enter a winter of economic discontent, who could blame them for leaving?”
But what are those same economic measures looking like in the countries New Zealand citizens often migrate to?

Australia

Unemployment has risen slightly in Australia, while figures show the median rent has jumped 8.5% (Source: istock.com)

The bulk of Kiwis choosing to leave New Zealand opt to hop across the ditch to Australia, with its promises of higher wages, more jobs, and better standards of living.

How are those promises looking?

• Unemployment – Australia’s unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.1% in April, above expectations of 3.9%.
• Job vacancies – The latest figures from February 2024 show total job vacancies dropped by 6.1% from November 2023.
• Inflation – Australia’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.6% over the year to March 2024. The rate didn’t slow as much as expected, due to increased rent and education costs.
• Rent prices – CoreLogic’s most recent figures show rents are at a record high in Australia, with the median weekly rent increasing 8.5% year-on-year to $627.
• GDP – Australia’s economy grew by 0.2% in the December quarter.

The United Kingdom

The UK has traditionally been another popular destination for New Zealand citizens to relocate to.

Here’s what their economic picture is currently looking like.

• Unemployment – The number of unemployed in the UK rose from 3.8% in the last quarter of 2023 to 4.3% in the first quarter of this year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
• Job vacancies – The estimated number of job vacancies for February to April fell 2.8%. ONS said job vacancies fell in 13 of the 18 industry sectors it measures.
• Inflation – The UK’s inflation rate has dropped dramatically since an eye-watering peak of 11.1% in October 2022. In the year to March 2024, inflation sat at 3.2%. That figure is expected to drop further still.
• Rent prices - Average monthly rent prices have been climbing across the UK, according to ONS – by 9.1% in England, 9% in Wales, 10.5% in Scotland, and 10.1% in Northern Ireland.
• GDP – ONS figures show the UK’s GDP was estimated to have increased by 0.6% in the first quarter of 2024. This follows two consecutive quarterly declines.

The United States

The Labor Department says inflation appears to be trending in the right direction in the US (Source: istock.com)

How are things looking in the land of the free and the home of the brave?

• Unemployment – Bureau of Labor statistics show the United States’ unemployment rate held mostly steady at 3.9% in April. Its unemployment rate has sat between 3.7% and 3.9% since August last year.
• Inflation – The Labor Department reported the CPI rose 3.4% in April, down from 3.5% the month before. It said it’s the latest indication that inflation was trending in the right direction for the US.
• GDP - Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 1.6% in the first quarter of 2024, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Canada

Canada's unemployment rate is sitting above 6% (Source: istock.com)

The Canadian labour market has been showing signs of stress. How are other economic indicators holding up?

• Unemployment – Canada’s unemployment rate is sitting at 6.1%, according to Statistics Canada’s latest Labour Force Survey. It says unemployment rates were higher across all major demographics when compared with 12 months ago.
• Inflation – The CPI rose 2.9% on a year-on-year basis in March. This is up slightly from the 2.8% recorded in February. That increase has been blamed on rising fuel prices.
• Rent prices – Canada’s average monthly rental price jumped 10.5% in February, according to Rentals.ca. It said Alberta was the province with the fastest-growing rents – up 20% year-on-year.
• GDP – Canada’s real GDP grew 0.2% in the last quarter of 2023, following a 0.1% decrease in the previous quarter.

(Source 1 News)

05/05/2024 - Citizenship time frames

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Many clients are asking me; "What is the current time frame for citizenshipapplication?"

Application assessment

The oldest applications we are starting to assess were received in March 2023.

If your application was received after March 2023, the Department of Internal Affairs cannot provide any further information on the status of your application.

These timeframes were updated in May 2024.

The time taken to process an application in the past is no guarantee of how long it may take in future.

Application outcome

96% of applicants receive an outcome within 18 months of submitting their application.

Application process

90% of applicants are granted citizenship within 19 months of submitting their application.

We collect data on the status of New Zealand citizenship applications by the date they were received

Source DIA

03/05/2024 - New tools strengthen immigration law enforcement

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From 11 April 2024 Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will be able to issue infringement notices to employers with the aim of addressing lower-level immigration non-compliance and deter those who take advantage of migrant workers.

Infringement penalties can include: a minimum fine of $1,000, loss of accredited employer or Recognised Seasonal Employer status, and being banned (stood-down) from supporting further visas for migrant workers for a period of time depending on the number of infringement notices the employer receives. More serious breaches may result in criminal charges.

Being stood-down means employers cannot get their accreditation back or support visa applications during the stand-down period. Stand-down periods include: 6-month stand-down for a single infringement notice, an extra 6-month stand-down for each subsequent infringement notice and a 12-month maximum stand-down for multiple notices issued at one time.

Employers can hire migrants on open work visas while on the stand-down list. When the stand-down ends the employer must show they have rectified the matter and done what is needed to stop it happening again before they can get accredited again under the AEWV.

Stephanie Greathead, National Manager Immigration Compliance says the majority of employers do the right thing and the employment situation works well for both employer and the migrant worker. However, Immigration sees a small number of employers who aren’t following the rules.

“In the past the only real significant deterrent option available to Immigration was prosecuting employers through the criminal court system, while that is still something we will continue to do, being able to issue employers with infringement penalties allows us to take immediate action against employers who aren’t complying."

“We will be publishing a stand down list on the Immigration website naming those employers who have been penalised and stood down, this adds a layer of transparency,” Greathead says.

Infringements can be issued for employing people in breach of their visa conditions, employing a person unlawfully in New Zealand, or failing to comply with a 10-day information request.

“Non-compliance with these 3 requirements now has immediate consequences. The new tools make it easier to stop employers who have committed immigration offences from accessing migrant workers in the future. It also ensures we have strong systems in place to enforce employment and immigration standards, which will help create a fair and level playing field for all employers in New Zealand,” Greathead says.

(Source Immigration New Zealand web)

01/05/2024 - Update to secondary school teachers moving to the Straight to Residence pathway

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From 1 May 2024 secondary school teachers are now on the Straight to Residence pathway on the Green List of in-demand roles.

In April, the Government announced that secondary school teachers will move to the Straight to Residence pathway on the Green List of in-demand roles.

Eligible overseas secondary school teachers can now apply for residence from outside New Zealand:

• when they have an offer of employment with an accredited employer, and
• without needing to work for 2 years in New Zealand first.

Other teachers remain on the Work to Residence pathway.

(Sourve INZ Website)

19/04/2024 - 'Character' and its impact on immigration status

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The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running afoul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely.

Immigration officers are concerned by the number of temporary migrants committing crime seemingly not aware of the implications for their immigration status in New Zealand.

Deportation may be the outcome for migrants who commit crime in New Zealand. For serious criminal offenders, it is often the only option, once their custodial sentence is served.

What may be perceived as a minor offence or misdemeanour back home, can have serious consequences here.

MBIE’s General Manager Immigration Compliance and Investigations, Steve Watson, says in some areas across the country, increasing numbers of migrant workers in construction, tourism and hospitality are facing alcohol related charges and court appearances. He has a message for them.

“If you commit an offence, it may affect your ability to remain in the country.”

He says offenders are often unaware of the consequences of what they may see as minor matters.

“And they are shocked when we tell them that committing a crime may mean an early plane ride home,” adds Mr Watson.

However, he says that immigration officers work with migrants to achieve the best outcome for them and New Zealand.

The decision to deport is made by looking at a total picture of an individual’s circumstances.

This may include:

• what the criminal offence is
• how long they have been in New Zealand
• whether they have got family in New Zealand
• what their job is
• the skill set of the individual, and
• whether there are any humanitarian factors present which relate to New Zealand’s international obligations.

“We compare the risks of their offending with the value they bring to New Zealand, and balance that against a careful assessment of their character,” says Mr Watson.

“Deportation may affect their ability to return to New Zealand and potentially their ability to visit other countries as well.”
Check our criminal conviction page to learn more about the impact of crime on peoples’ ability to come to New Zealand.
Criminal convictions

(Source INZ website)

07/12/2023 - Prime Minister Luxon reveals his '49 actions' for first 100 days

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The 49 prioritised actions announced this afternoon include:

1. Repeal the Clean Car Discount scheme by December 31, 2023.
2. Ban the use of cell phones in schools.
3. Introduce legislation to remove the Auckland Fuel Tax.
4. Repeal Fair Pay Agreement legislation.
5. Stop "blanket speed limit reductions" and start work on replacing the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022.
6. Stop central government work on the Auckland Light Rail project.
7. Start work to improve the quality of regulation.
8. Introduce legislation to repeal the Water Services Entities Act 2022, also known as the Three Waters reforms
9. Introduce legislation to ban gang patches, stop gang members gathering in public, and stop known gang offenders from communicating with one another.
10. Give police greater powers to search gang members for firearms and make gang membership an aggravating factor at sentencing.
11. Introduce legislation to disestablish the Māori Health Authority.
12. Begin work to repeal the Therapeutics Products Act 2023
13. Allow the sale of cold medication containing pseudoephedrine
14. Require primary and intermediate schools to teach an hour of reading, writing and maths per day starting in 2024.
15. Begin disestablishing Te Pukenga.
16. Stop all work on He Puapua.
17. Stop work on the Income Insurance Scheme.
18. Stop work on Industry Transformation Plans.
19. Stop work on the Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme.
20. Begin efforts to double renewable energy production, including a National Policy Statement on Renewable Electricity Generation.
21. Withdraw central government from Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM).
22. Meet with councils and communities to establish regional requirements for recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle and other recent major flooding events.
23. Make any additional Orders in Council needed to speed up cyclone and flood recovery efforts.
24. Start reducing public sector expenditure, including consultant and contractor expenditure.
25. Introduce legislation to narrow the Reserve Bank’s mandate to price stability.
26. Cancel fuel tax hikes.
27. Begin work on a new Government Policy Statement reflecting the new Roads of National Significance and new public transport priorities.
28. Introduce legislation to restore 90-day trial periods for all businesses.
29. Begin work on a National Infrastructure Agency.
30. Repeal the Spatial Planning and Natural and Built Environment Act and introduce a fast-track consenting regime.
31. Begin to cease implementation of new Significant Natural Areas and seek advice on the operation of the areas.
32. Take policy decisions to amend the Overseas Investment Act 2005 to make it easier for build-to-rent housing to be developed in New Zealand.
33. Begin work to enable more houses to be built, by implementing the National Party's Going for Housing Growth policy and making the Medium Density Residential Standards optional for councils.
34. Abolish the previous Labour government’s prisoner reduction target.
35. Stop taxpayer funding for section 27 cultural reports.
36. Introduce legislation to extend eligibility to offence-based rehabilitation programmes to remand prisoners.
37. Begin work to crack down on serious youth offending.
38. Enable more virtual participation in court proceedings.
39. Begin to repeal and replace Part 6 of the Arms Act 1983 relating to clubs and ranges.
40. Improve security for the health workforce in hospital emergency departments.
41. Sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Waikato University to progress a third medical school.
42. By December 1, lodge a reservation against adopting amendments to World Health Organisation health regulations to allow the Government to consider these against a “national interest test”.
43. Appoint an Expert Group to redesign the English and maths curricula for primary school students.
44. Begin work on delivering better public services and strengthening democracy.
45. Set five major targets for health system, including for wait times and cancer treatment.
46. Take first steps to extend free breast cancer screening to those aged up to 74.
47. Repeal amendments to the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 and regulations.
48. Establish a priority one category on the social housing waitlist to move families out of emergency housing into permanent homes more quickly.
49. Commission an independent review into Kāinga Ora’s financial situation, procurement, and asset management.

27/11/2023 - Maximum continuous stay and longer visa length for the AEW

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In June 2023, the Government announced changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). 

These changes take effect on 27 November, and include: 

• A 'maximum continuous stay' of five years for most AEWV holders, with shorter periods for workers in specific sectors. 
• An increase in the maximum length of an AEWV to five years for people earning at least the median wage.  
• An increase in the maximum length of an AEWV to three years for people in the care workforce sector paid the level three and four pay rates. 
• An option for current AEWV holders to apply for the balance of the longer five-year or three-year visa if they are eligible.
• Their current visa will not extend automatically to the longer length.  

To apply for the balance of the longer visa, AEWV holders will need to meet criteria. Employers of current AEWV holders may be able to reuse existing job tokens, without completing a Job Check, to support their worker to apply for the balance of the longer AEWV. There is criteria employers need to meet, including holding valid accreditation. 

Processing order for AEWV balance applications 

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) expects a significant number of people to be eligible for AEWV renewals for the balance of five years.

We will generally only start processing balance applications when their current AEWV expiry date is within the next nine months. The applications for associated partners and dependents will also be queued until the AEWV application is decided. 

This processing order of AEWV renewal applications manages demands on INZ processing resources, while ensuring fair treatment of visa applications made to INZ.

In the unlikely situation that an applicant’s current AEWV expires before we complete their balance application, the holder will be eligible for an interim visa to let them stay and continue their job for up to six months.

Our website has information on these changes, including guidance on the steps current AEWV holders and their employers need to take to apply for the balance of the longer AEWV. 

EXAMPLE

From 27 November 2023, if you get an AEWV and you are paid at least the median wage:

• your visa may last for up to 5 years (maximum visa length)
• you can spend up to 5 years on 1 or more AEWVs (maximum continuous stay)
• after 5 years if you want another AEWV you must spend at least 12 months in a row outside New Zealand first (time spent outside New Zealand)
• after you spend the required time outside New Zealand you may be eligible for a further AEWV for up to 5 years.

10/11/2023 - Warning on recent immigration phone scams

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Immigration New Zealand is aware of recent targeted phone scams coming from various New Zealand mobile numbers.

One example of these scams states the call is coming from 'The Immigration Bureau' saying there is a 'serious problem with your visa'. The call then prompts recipients to press different numbers for English or Chinese services.

Please be aware that these are not genuine calls from Immigration New Zealand. If you or someone you know receives this call or a similar one, report it to CERT NZ and do not engage further.

The Immigration New Zealand website has more information on recent scams, how to report them and how to protect yourself.

24/09/2023 - Changes Green List and other ...

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Great to see a few additional roles added to the Green list amongst a raft of other changes. Specifically, the following roles will now have a pathway for residence and enable employers to hire migrants more easily.

• Aircraft Maintenance EngineerAviation Engineer (Avionics, Aeronautical, Aerospace Engineer)
• Corrections Officer
• Fitter and Turner
• Fitter general
• Fitter-Welder
• ICT Database and System Administrator
• Mechanical Engineering Technician
• Metal Fabricator
• Metal Machinist first class
• Naval Architect (Marine Designer)
• Panel Beater
• Paving Plant Operator
• Pressure Welder
• Road Roller Operator
• Vehicle Painter
• Welder

Some other welcome changes;

• Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits
• 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500
• Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement
• More roles added to Green List
• Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders

17/05/2023 - Hot of the Press

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Changes to the Partner of a Worker work visa settings.

From 31 May 2023, many partners of workers who hold an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) or an Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV) will need to work for an Accredited Employer and be paid at least the median wage, or if working in a role covered by an uncapped Sector Agreement, they must be paid at least the relevant wage threshold.
 
These conditions will need to be met at the time the employer provides the offer of employment, or for those who are already employed, from the start date of the work visa (whichever is the latest). Any subsequent changes to the employer’s accreditation, the median wage and sector agreements will not impact the visa holder for the duration of the visa if they remain in the same employment.
 
From 31 May 2023, people will be able to check on the INZ website if an employer is accredited.
 
The changes do not affect current work visa conditions or people who apply before 31 May 2023. There are no changes to visa conditions for partners of New Zealanders or partners of those holding other work visas (such as a Post Study Work Visa).
 
Supporting changes have been made to E3.26 (Varying the conditions of temporary entry class visas) to enable visa holders subject to the above conditions to apply to remove these conditions if their partner’s employment situation subsequently changes (for example, if their partner receives a pay rise taking their remuneration over twice the median wage, or if their occupation is added to the Green List).
 
These changes will take effect on 31 May 2023.

Source; INZ