Why a Resident Visa?

They say, "Home is where the heart is." Often home is also a place you've become very familiar with. Where you can live and work and study. Permanent residents share many of the same rights and opportunities as citizens. With all the natural beauty, wide-open spaces, and friendly, hospitable people in New Zealand, it's both a great place to visit and to live.

Important Information about the Skilled Migrant Category

To be considered under the Permanent Resident Visa Skilled Migrant Category an applicant will first need to pass through two main stages. The first is the submission of an Expression of Interest (EOI) into the "EOI Pool". The second stage applies when, following an initial assessment of your EOI, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) issues you with an invitation to apply for a Resident Visa。

Submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI)

For your Expression of Interest to be selected from the EOI Pool, you will need to have at least 160 points. At this stage you should submit an Expression of Interest to Immigration New Zealand.

Selections from the EOI Pool take place every fortnight (see our Homepage link to the INZ web-page that contains selection dates and results) and if selected, usually within a 3-week period, you may be invited to apply for a Resident Visa. Whether or not you are selected from the EOI pool will depend on the quality of your EOI and on you meeting the criteria to be invited by INZ to submit an application for a Resident Visa.

First you will have to meet the Immigration New Zealand criteria relevant to the EOI points you have claimed, some of which may be the following:

• Identity - You must provide proof of your identity
• Character - You must be of good character
• Health - You must be in good health
• English Language - You must be able to speak English
• Age - You must be 55 years or under when you apply for residence
• Skilled Employment - Your current employment or offer of employment must be skilled
• Qualifications - Your qualification must be recognised to qualify for points
• Work Experience - Your work experience must be skilled to qualify for points
• Bring Family - Your partner and dependent children must meet the requirements for the visa
• English language for family - Your partner and children 16 and over must speak English or pay for classes to learn English in New Zealand

Invitation to Apply for Residence

Please note that being invited to apply for residence is not a guarantee that you will be issued with a Resident Visa. If invited to apply for residence, you must apply within 4 months of receiving your invitation. Your invitation to apply will advise of the specific evidence you need to provide to support the claims you made in your EOI.

You may also qualify for bonus points if you:

Have obtained an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand OR have current skilled employment in New Zealand in an identified future growth area or an area of absolute skill shortage.

• Have 2 years or more of full-time work experience in New Zealand
• Have work experience in an identified growth area or an area of absolute skills shortage
• Have 2 years full-time study in New Zealand towards a recognised qualification
• Have a recognised basic New Zealand qualification
• Have a recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification
• Have a qualification in an identified future growth area or an area of absolute skill shortage
• Have a partner who holds a recognised qualification

There are a number of other things to consider in order to correctly allocate points and make a valid application.