Immigration specialist law firm Pitt & Moore today cautiously welcomed the announcement about a new pathway to Residency, but raised concerns about potential fish hooks in the detail.

This week, the Government announced a new one-off residence visa pathway for some temporary work visa holders currently in New Zealand. Some critical purpose visa holders arriving in New Zealand between 30 September 2021 and 31 July 2022 on long-term visas may also be eligible for this new visa. Partners and dependents can be included as part of these residence applications.

Pitt & Moore Partner Nick Mason said the announcement signalled the end of uncertainty for many people who have been waiting since last year for some kind of action on this from the Government.

Mason said Pitt & Moore has many clients who would be helped by these changes, though some who would not benefit at all.

“We are working with people on Post Study or Essential Skills work visas who previously didn’t have any pathway to residence,” said Mason. “They might be working as carers in nursing homes or as dairy farm assistants or in supermarkets as cashiers, earning less than $27 per hour, so weren’t able to previously meet the Skilled Migrant Category requirements . One family has been here for over five years, desperate for residence but unable to find employment that would pay $27 per hour. The changes announced today could help them.

“But then we also still have numerous clients who are separated from their family, and this new Resident Visa pathway doesn’t address their separation in the short term and possibly not in the long-term either, given how stretched Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ) resources are. It’s very possible processing times will blow out.

“The devil is always in the detail with these things, and we don’t know the detail yet. For example, these are the sorts of questions our clients want answers to; what will the INZ fee be to apply for the new 2021 Resident visa, is it affordable? Will people need to withdraw their current Skilled Migrant Category or Residence from Work applications before they can apply for the new Resident Visa? What resources will INZ be allocating for the assessment of these new Resident Visa applications, and those already in the queue? How long is all of this going to take?”

Mason also notes that there is no relief given to dependent children under 17 in New Zealand who are included in Skilled Migrant Category applications.

© Scoop Media