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Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa is a type of residence permit that allows you to work and live indefinitely in New Zealand. There are a few things you need to consider to get this visa:

You must be 55 years of age or younger to apply for this visa.

You must provide an Expression of Interest before applying for a visa. If your Expression is confirmed, you can continue the other steps of the application process.

We explain all you need to know about a Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa, including the application process, requirements, processing time, and more.

What is a Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa?

Those who can contribute to New Zealand’s economic growth can apply for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa. To qualify for this visa, you must first submit an Expression of Interest. In this expression, you should mention the following:

Who Can Apply for A Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa? 
  • Your employment in New Zealand
  • Work experience
  • Qualifications

If Expression of Interest is successful, you can work and live permanently in New Zealand.

If you want to obtain a Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa, you should consider the following:

  • You must be 55 years of age or younger to apply for this visa.
  • You can also include your dependent child under the age of 24 in your visa application.
  • Your expressions of interest are first evaluated and then graded. EOIs with at least 160 points will be eligible.
  • Those who intend to be self-employed cannot apply for this visa.
  • Due to COVID-19, the Expressions of Interest selection is currently suspended.

What are the requirements to apply for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa?

If you want to get this visa, you should consider the following:

  • You must provide two acceptable photos. Your head and shoulders should be visible in these photos.
  • A full birth certificate is required.
  • Passport is a required document and must be valid for at least three months from the date of your arrival in New Zealand. If you are applying for this permission outside of New Zealand, you must provide a pre-paid courier envelope so that the New Zealand government can return your passport and other identity documents.
  • If you are over 17, you must provide a police certificate. For detailed information on how to obtain this certificate, you can visit the New Zealand Immigration website so that you can get up-to-date information based on your country.
  • As a New Zealand visa applicant, you must have a medical examination and chest x-ray to prove your good health.
  • You need to speak English well. Therefore, you must submit the following documents along with your visa application form:
  • An acceptable English language test result (English language test results must be no more than two years old)
  • If you have worked or applied for at least five years in Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, or the United States, provide proof of this.
  • You must be 55 or younger to receive this visa. You must provide proof of identity to prove your age.
  • Evidence of skilled employment must be provided:
  • Work experience
  • Qualifications
  • Occupational registration
  • Job offer scams are common in South Asia and India, so make sure the job offer is genuine.
  • You must provide a recognized qualification. Your qualification is recognized if:
  • In the Qualifications Exempt from Assessment list
  • Is evaluated by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA)
  • If you need an NZQA assessment, you can visit the NZQA website.
  • Your EOI must earn at least 100 points to enter the Pool. Your EOI will be valid for up to six months.
  • You can enter the name of your partner and dependent child in the visa application. You should also include them in your Expression of Interest. You must prove your relationship to family members by providing the following documents:
  • Marriage or civil union certificates
  • Birth certificates
  • Photos together
  • Joint bank accounts
  • Evidence you own assets together

The following child is considered dependent:

  • Children 17 years or younger who are single
  • Children 18 to 20 years old, provided they are single or have no children of their own
  • Children aged 21 to 24 who are single or have no children of their own or are financially dependent on their parents
  • Your family members must also be able to speak English; otherwise, they must attend English language classes. You must pay a tuition fee for theses classes before granting a visa.
  • You need to be invited to apply for a residency by New Zealand Immigration. If you are invited, you must submit your application within four months after receiving the invitation.

How to apply for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa?

If you are planning to apply for this visa, you must pay attention to the following:

  1. You must first submit an Expression of Interest to New Zealand Immigration. They check your expression and then grade it. You must earn at least 100 points to be able to enter the pool. Generally, EOIs with at least 160 points are selected.
  2. If your EOI is selected, you will be invited to apply for residence. In this case, the “Application for Residence under the Skilled Migrant Category form” will be sent to you.
  3. New Zealand Immigration will evaluate your application and decide whether to grant you a visa. The average processing time for applications is up to six months.

In order to be able to submit your documents, you must first create an account on the New Zealand Immigration Website and submit your documents through this account. You can also track the application process for your visa through this account.

How long does it take to evaluate the submitted documents and issue a visa?

Generally, applications for residence, including this visa, are evaluated for up to six months.

How can a visa holder work in New Zealand?

If you were given points for an offer of skilled employment in Auckland, you need:

  • To take up that job in three months of arriving in New Zealand.
  • To stay in that job for at least three months.
  • To continue to be paid at or above the level of payment for which skilled employment points were granted to you for at least three months.

If you were granted points for an offer of skilled employment outside of Auckland, you should:

  • Take up that job position within three months of arriving in New Zealand
  • Stay in that job for at least one year
  • Continue to be paid at or above the remuneration level for which skilled employment points were awarded to you for at least 12 months.

If you were given points for your current skilled employment in Auckland, and you’ve been working in that position for less than three months, you should:

  • Stay in the job for at least three months.
  • Continue to be paid at or above the level of remuneration for which skilled employment points were awarded to you for at least three months.

Can the visa holder travel in and out of New Zealand?

You can travel in and out of New Zealand as long as your travel conditions are valid. You must then apply for one of the following:

  • A Permanent Resident Visa
  • A variation of your travel conditions that allows you to return to New Zealand at a later date.

Your travel conditions are valid for up to two years when you arrive in New Zealand as a resident. Please note that if your travel conditions expire and you are outside New Zealand, your visa will also expire.

Let’s sum up…

In this article, we examined applying for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa, which is a type of work visa. In other sections of the Visa Library website, you can get acquainted with other types of visas in this country as well as visas from other countries.

If you have experience obtaining a visa, you can share it with other readers through the comment section. Conveying your experiences with others can be very effective. You can also ask your questions through this section, and we will answer as soon as possible.

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