As you may be aware, there have been significant increases in the number of resident visa applications received under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) and Residence from Work (RfW) category, resulting in high on-hand volumes and longer processing times for applicants.

New Zealand Residence Programme

Our role is to process and approve residence applications in line with the New Zealand Residence Programme (NZRP) which is set by the Government. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is resourced in line with the NZRP, not in line with the number of residence applications received.

The Government has not yet finalised the new NZRP. In the meantime,  we are continuing to process applications at the same volume and with the same level of resourcing the previous NZRP allowed for. We are not able to process and approve more residence applications than the NZRP allows for.

We understand that the uncertainty individuals face while waiting for an application to be decided can be distressing and we are committed to processing applications as quickly as possible in line with the NZRP. Processing timeframes are published on our website and are updated fortnightly.

Processing update

SMC and RFW Category applications are currently prioritised for allocation if the principal applicant is onshore and:

• is paid twice the median wage or higher (currently NZD $51 an hour or NZD $106,800 a year), or
• works in an occupation where registration is required by immigration instructions and holds that registration.

Applications that don’t meet either criterion for prioritisation are allocated to an immigration officer in the order they are received.

Since 22 September 2020, we have been allocating:

• non-prioritised SMC and RfW applications received in March 2019, and
• prioritised SMC and RfW applications, within 2 weeks of their submission.  

What this means for applicants

To be granted residence in New Zealand is a privilege, not a right. Being in New Zealand, or having lodged a residence application does not automatically give an individual the right to remain in New Zealand permanently and does not guarantee that their residence application will be approved. Criteria for residence visa approval must be met at the time an application is assessed, not when it was submitted. 

It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure they remain lawful if they are in New Zealand while their residence application is being decided. There will be some people who will not have their applications processed before their current temporary visa expires. We understand this may be distressing.
 
Applicants who do not meet the prioritisation criteria for allocation and are no longer eligible for another temporary visa should make a plan to depart New Zealand if they can no longer remain here lawfully.
 
We will continue to provide you with regular updates on SMC and RfW processing. Our website remains the best place for up to date information.
 
FAQs

Q: Why is it taking so long to process these applications?

A: There have been significant increases in the volume of resident visa applications received under the SMC and RfW category.

INZ’s role as a regulator is to process and approve applications in line with immigration instructions and the NZRP planning range set by the Government of the day. INZ has consistently issued approved residence applicants within the NZRP planning range every year.

A residence visa allows an individual to reside in New Zealand permanently. Residence applications take longer to process as there is more at stake and there is greater scrutiny of each application. This combined with the significant volumes received means that allocation of new applications to an immigration officer can take longer.
 
Q: If you have received so many more applications, why can’t you just have more immigration officers processing them?

A: There appears to be a misunderstanding that INZ does not have sufficient Immigration Officers processing these applications. INZ has consistently issued approved residence applicants within the NZRP planning range every year.   

INZ’s role as a regulator is to process and approve applications in line with immigration instructions and the NZRP planning range set by the Government of the day.

The Government has not yet finalised the new NZRP. In the meantime, INZ is continuing to process applications at the same volume and with the same level of resourcing the previous NZRP allowed for.

Q: How can I get my/my client’s application processed faster?

A: The Employment Visa Escalation process is available for requesting urgent allocation of employment related visas (and associated family members) for both Temporary Work Visas and residence applications based on employments. The threshold for escalation is very high and requests are considered against the following criteria:

• compelling personal circumstances
• humanitarian factors
• matters of national interest.

Q: My client’s application has taken so long to process, and they do not qualify for another temporary visa. They are about to become unlawful. What should I do?

A: There will be some people who will not have their applications processed before their current temporary visa expires. Those people will need to consider applying for a temporary visa that best fits their circumstances or make plans to depart New Zealand and await the outcome of their residence application offshore.

It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure they remain lawfully in New Zealand while their residence application is being decided.

Applicants who do not meet the prioritisation criteria for allocation and are no longer eligible for another temporary visa should make a plan to depart New Zealand if they can no longer remain here lawfully.
 
Q: My client’s job has changed since they applied. What will this mean when you start processing the application?

A: There may be some applicants whose situations have changed since they applied, such as their employer may no longer be accredited, they may not be receiving the same salary any more, or their role has changed. All individuals are required to meet the relevant immigration requirements for residence at the time their application is assessed, not at the time they apply. We may request more information when we process the application.

Source: INZ