The New Zealand Government is introducing changes to the category of skilled immigrants (SMC) as part of the immigration rebalancing, to help companies attract workers to fill skills shortages, Immigration Minister Michael Wood has announced.
“We know that many industries are asking for workers in the face of global labor shortages. The new configuration of skilled immigration will help to attract and retain skilled immigrants to meet medium and long-term skills needs that workers already in New Zealand would take time to cover,” said Michael Wood.
The announced changes to ensure there is no cap on skilled immigrants removes an artificial limitation in the old system that set an indicative number of residency places available each year and prevented skilled immigrants from settling in New Zealand even where there was a demonstrable need. .
From early October, a simplified points system will be introduced to set a clear qualification threshold based on New Zealand professional registration, recognized qualifications or income.
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Highly qualified people will have a faster path to residency, and others will have a clear path to residency if they work for a period in New Zealand. The clear requirements will provide temporary workers with clarity about their status, addressing a long-standing problem in which some people without a path to residence were given false hope.
“The government has heard from businesses that the certainty that skilled immigrants and their families will be able to obtain residency in New Zealand will be a major draw in attracting skilled workers,” said Minister Wood.
The new SMC complements other pathways to residency, such as the Green List, which is a more restricted and occupation-specific pathway for those working in certain roles of national importance and global demand. This, along with easier setup, means New Zealand Immigration will be able to process more applications faster.
Highly qualified people will have a faster path to residency, and others will have a clear path to residency if they work for a period in New Zealand
The maximum duration of the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) will also be extended from three to five years from November, to align with the introduction of a maximum continuous stay of five years with an AEWV for people who are not in a route of residence.
The AEWV is New Zealand’s main temporary work visa, which allows companies to access skilled workers to fill short-term gaps. Setting a maximum of five years of continuous stay means that people who do not qualify for a residency pathway will have clarity about how long they can work and stay in New Zealand, and offers longer-term security for businesses.
“We recognize the important role the immigration system plays in the economic future of our country. We are committed to working with businesses to ensure the right balance,” concluded Michael Wood.
