New Zealand Immigration and PR process

New Zealand regularly tops the charts when it comes to the ‘best countries in world to live’ and if you think about it there are a few reasons for that –  running their own country with efficiency, high life expectancy, low crime rates, low levels of corruption, very good schooling and they are crazy about cricket just like we are! and the list goes on. These are all big factors which makes living in New Zealand so great.

But before you start packing your bags to move to New Zealand you need a consultant who will guide you through out the whole process of migration because it may seem straight forward but needs a lot of research which will take you years to figure which visa will be the best one for you. So for more details visit http://gkworks.in/contact/ and contact our experts in immigration.

So, to begin with let’s try to understand the process of Immigration to New Zealand, and make sure to make note of main points which we have highlighted through the article.

1.Process

The process for New Zealand is a bit less complicated compared to other countries. But to file your application at the nearest New Zealand Visa Application Centre (VAC) in India. It is important you provide all the relevant information for your application to be processed promptly.

An immigration consultant near you can help you with the forms. It’s better to get it right in the first go than doing multiple mistakes and getting it right in your fourth-fifth attempt. It will save your time, money and energy. The following documents are needed to file an immigration application:

• A completed application form INZ 1017.
• Two passport-sized colour photographs (must be less than 6 months old).

• Valid passport

• Application fee and

• Evidence of funds of at least NZ$1,000 per month for maintenance and accommodation, or NZ$400 per month if your accommodation has been prepaid. In the form of bank statements, saving books or fixed deposit certificates.

Now there are numerous reasons for a person to immigrate to NZ but you need to make sure to fill out the right form, now for example,

• A completed sponsorship form INZ 1025 if your visit is being sponsored by a New Zealand citizen/resident. In case of a New Zealand citizen/resident sponsor, evidence of relationship to the sponsor must be provided.

These documents will be needed for some other cases.

• Work reference letter stating position, salary, length of employment and leave approval from the employer.
• If self-employed, provide company registration certificate, recent business tax returns with income statement and current account statements.
• Consent letter for child under 17 years old if not accompanied by both parents; copy of parents’ ID cards; copy of student’s ID (if applicable).
• If you are intending to stay in New Zealand for more than 6 months, a Medical Chest X-Ray Certificate issued by one of our appointed panel physicians.
• If you are intending to stay in New Zealand for more than 12 months, a complete eMedical and Chest X-Ray Certificate issued by one of our appointed panel physicians.

And for PR the process is a bit different or we can simply call it Residency for New Zealand Skilled Migrant Category.

1. Application for a resident visa under the Skilled Migrant Category is a two-stage process: people wishing to submit an application for a resident visa under the Skilled Migrant Category must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in the prescribed manner.

2. EOIs that meet prerequisites for health, character, English language and age, and have a total of 100 or more points for employability and capacity building factors, are entered into a Pool of EOIs.

3. EOIs that meet a selection point threshold set from time to time by the Minister of Immigration are selected from the Pool. Current selection point is 160. (for details read about it in Eligibility section)

4. EOIs selected from the Skilled Migrant Category Pool may result in an invitation to apply for a resident visa under the Skilled Migrant Category if the claims made in the EOI concerning health, character, English language and employability and capacity building factors are assessed as credible by an immigration officer.

5. Applications for a resident visa made in the prescribed manner must be made within four months of the date of the invitation to apply.

6. A Skilled Migrant Category application will be approved if an immigration officer is satisfied the requirements for health, character, English language and employability and capacity building factors are met.

7. If a principal applicant otherwise meets all requirements for the grant of a resident visa under the Skilled Migrant Category but does not have points for employment in New Zealand or has not studied full time for two years in New Zealand resulting in the award of a Doctorate or Master’s degree:
   • the decision on the application will be deferred; and subject to meeting the requirements of Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Instructions, the principal applicant will be eligible for the grant of a work visa to allow them to obtain an offer of ongoing skilled employment in New Zealand.
   • If an offer of ongoing skilled employment is obtained during the deferral period, the application may be approved.

2. Eligibility

You need to fulfil the following criteria for immigration from India to New Zealand:

• You must be of less than 55 years of age.
• You must be in good health.
• You need to have a job offer for a sponsored work visa.
• You are required to show the intent to fulfil the conditions of your visa.
• You must have the required experience for the job offer received.
• Or if you are thinking of starting a business here you need to show funds and your plan which will help their economy in the form of employability and service to the general public.

This table describes a small part of the 160 point criteria but for Permanent Residency your best chance of reaching 160 points will be if:

• You are between 21 to 39 years of age, and;
• You have minimum 10 years or more skilled work experience and in a country that is considered a comparable labour market to New Zealand; and preferably the work experience matches the requirement of the long term skill shortage list of New Zealandand;
• Your highest qualification is a Masters/PhD and your Bachelor’s degree is relevant to the work experience you declare, and;
• You are married/in a long term relationship and your spouse/partner has a minimum qualification of a bachelor’s degree and can score 6.5 band score in all in IELTS, and;
• You can also attain the required IELTS score of 6.5 in all bands, and;
• Plus, you must be in good health and not have any legal issues which prevents issue of a police clearance certificate.

As you can see it is not an easy or simple process and if you do not match ALL the criteria above then most likely you will not qualify. If you want a professional appraisal and have total certainty about your eligibility, you must consult an Immigration Adviser at http://gkworks.in/contact/ .

3.Cost

The cost entirely depends on the type of visa you are applying, i.e. Skilled migration visa, study visa, work visa, etc. In general, a common SMC category online visa fee may cost you around NZD 530, whereas the work visa with accredited employer online would cost around, NZD 393.

And for PR the Application costs range from NZ$208 (€136) for a working holiday visa to NZ$1,697 (€1,100) for a skilled migrant resident visa. Visas for entrepreneurs, investors or retirees can cost up to NZ$4,745 for Investors visa.

For more details related to cost of living etc. contact http://gkworks.in/contact/

4. Life in New Zealand

New Zealand has a laid back easy going lifestyle. There is good emphasis on recreational activities like sports. There is a strong emphasis on sports in NZ particularly rugby, cricket, and soccer. Sports is emphasized in schools.

There is unique trend of ‘have to Do It Yourself culture here’. Many New Zealanders enjoy gardening and housing projects. That’s why they have a lot of hardware stores like Mitre 10, Bunnings, and Placemakers. It is cheaper to do housing projects like laying tiles and building fences yourselves than hiring workers.

While New Zealand has a free market economy, we also have a strong social security net that was laid by the First Labour Government in 1935. Unlike the Americans, we don’t have a strong aversion to a social security net. However, inequality is a growing problem particularly among the Maori and Pacific communities.

They have numerous shopping malls, supermarkets, and businesses but they close by 7pm. Supermarkets run until 9pm. We have a few late shopping nights but not the whole week.

New Zealand is a tolerant, pluralistic and more liberal than Australia and the US. There conservative National Government is fiscally conservative but much more liberal when it comes to issues like gay marriage. New Zealand is an increasingly secular society. In 2013, roughly 41% of New Zealanders had no religious affiliation. There is a stronger awareness of the environment in NZ.

Basically, if you are here to work and make a positive contribution to NZ’s economy and society, and you are willing to move / associate outside your immediate circle (others from your country) then you will find life pretty good.

5. How to search Jobs

If searching for jobs your first stop should be Trademe jobs or with Seek Jobs. Make sure your CV and cover letter is without spelling or grammatical mistakes, especially if English is your second Language.

Try for big cities, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch …employers from these places are more used to overseas employees and with people from different ethnicities/ languages. Be good at English, Attitude and enthusiasm surpasses all ethnicity and language barriers! Be brave and fun with communication!

Don’t give up! NZ employers can be slack at getting back to you. Don’t take it personally and don’t be afraid to call them back and politely ask if they’ve come to a decision! Employment in Smaller towns is predominantly about who you know, reference and contact building is must!

During your study abroad time, make friends and contacts which will help you in the long run. Make a good impression and your professors might recommend you to some employer making sure you get a job as soon as you step out of campus. Rest of the part is dependent on your skill and talent, make sure you are good at what you do and your field has demand there and you are good to go!

6. What consultants don’t tell

Even if the process seems straight forward, getting into NZ is not that easy. There are numerous criteria which you need to meet to guaranty your application for PR will be accepted. If you approach us at http://gkworks.in/contact/ we will honestly suggest you if New Zealand is a good destination for you or not, which the other consultant won’t do. The risk behind blindly choosing is high, if suppose your field of interest is not part of the skill shortage list then its hard for you to get a job in NZ. Which leads numerous to do part time job below their qualification.

So make sure that you approach the right consultant who will provide you with right information and make sure you are aware of each and every problem which you may face as a migrant and make you more confident about moving to New Zealand. So, click on http://gkworks.in/contact/ and make sure to make you migration to NZ a success!

Following article may help you in choosing the country to study in abroad .