Immigreat - NZ and Aus Immigration Experts

09/09/2024

We have an employer who is trying to fill the following role of a full Time Recreational Gymnastics Coach/Programme Manager in the Bay of Plenty. This would be an excellent opportunity for the right candidate to take their gymnastics coaching career to the next level. The club is accredited and willing to support AEWV applications.

The club is the leading provider of Gymnastics in the Bay of Plenty Region. They provide specialised coaching and training for Recreational, Competitive, Preschool, Excel, Trampoline, Tumbling, Parkour and Adult classes. The staff are dynamic and energetic with an athlete-centred approach and a can-do attitude.

They are currently looking for a full time Recreational Coach who can oversee their thriving Recreational program. This position is a 50/50 coaching/program management role and a senior position within the club. Successful applicants MUST have:

• 3-5 years gymnastics coaching experience
• Recreational coaching, program management and program development experience
• Experience in coordinating and mentoring junior coaches.
• Excellent communication skills with children and adults.
• An overall positive attitude and passion for the sport of gymnastics.
• Proven ability to work as a key member of a team.
• Dedication to ensuring safe working practices by following their health and safety procedures.
• Ability to work Monday - Saturday (timings will be provided).

In return, they are able to offer:
• Competitive pay based on current experience and qualifications
• A positive and inclusive workplace where coaches and gymnasts thrive in a well maintained and equipped facility, a progressive and supportive committee, and a fun, hands-on team.
• Coaching advancement, and career development and growth, through gymnastics and non-gymnastics education, giving you a well-rounded overview of running and managing a winning team.

If you meet ALL of the requirements and are happy to work through us as your Licensed Immigration Adviser, please feel free to get in touch with us asap.

04/09/2024

Most people don't realise how popular New Zealand is as a tourist destination. With more than 260,000 visitor visa applications expected over the holiday period, INZ's assessment queues blow out substantially. INZ have already sent out emails warning people to have their applications in by 15 October 2024.

Don't miss out on your dream holiday or catching up with friends and family by leaving your application too late. If you want to beat the holiday rush and prices increase on 1 October 2024, get in touch with us asap so that we can get you sorted.

Visa warning head of summer peak

26/08/2024

With all the attention around visitor visa declines, it's important to understand how INZ assess your bona fide status as a visitor, especially if your intention is to come to NZ and secure work.

In an updated visa pak from INZ they have confirmed that their stance around 'Look, See and Decide' visits has not changed, but it's crucial to understand what they consider acceptable circumstances. In the latest pak they have clearly stated that if you already have a job or have wrapped up your life in your home country, you will NOT be considered a bona fide visitor.

Further to that, INZ provided a few examples, one of them being for an applicant who secures a job offer here on a visitor visa. Part of applying for a visitor visa is proving you have employment ties in your home country. Thus, if you apply for a job in NZ while on a visitor visa, INZ may very well take the view that you were not genuine in your intentions.

Most people don't realise that it becomes a character issue when INZ believe you have lied to them on an application and not being genuine about your intentions. The compliance team at INZ are in overdrive at the moment and you do not want to be introduced to them for any reason.

Most who follow my posts know I am not a fan of L*D trips at this point in time. However, if you feel you have no other choice, please reach out to us so that we can make sure they applications are approached and motivated correctly, thus avoiding potential declines and character issues with INZ.

22/08/2024

This email was forwarded on to one of my colleagues this morning by a resident applicant that now finds themselves in a spot of bother.

It's important to note that INZ are not required to provide you with additional time or extensions to provide required documents. You need to ensure you submit complete and decision ready applications or risk having your application declined and losing out on your application fee.

17/08/2024

Get in touch with us today if you are considering studying in NZ! No other immigration adviser or education agent can match our service or our offering!

08/08/2024

As mentioned a few weeks ago, MBIE had table a paper to cabinet for fee increases. This has now been passed by cabinet and INZ have announced their fee increases that will be effective from 1st October 2024. The most notable increases as follows:

- Residence visas: increasing from $4,290 to $6,450
- Partner residence visas: increasing from $2,750 to $5,360
- Dependent child residence: increasing from $2,750 to $3,230
- Visitor visas: increasing form $211 to $341
- AEWV: increasing from $750 to $1,540
- Partner of a worker: increasing from $700 to $1,355

More info on the increases available at https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/increase-to-visa-charges-come-into-effect-from-1-october

05/08/2024

Clients regularly ask us if they can volunteer while on a visitor visa and/or waiting on their work or partner visa application to be assessed. Our advice to clients is to refrain from volunteering as benefits and rewards are open to interpretation and often INZ take a hard line on this. Below is a snip from an applicant who has just reached out to us after INZ declined their visa on the basis of them volunteering while on a work visa.

This is why we take the stance that we do and strongly advise clients not to undertake any volunteer work unless their visa specifically allows them to do so.

04/08/2024

This is from one of our Facebook groups. Not a lot of people realise that INZ review your social media profiles. The take away here is not to breach your visa conditions as INZ will eventually find out, but also be mindful of what you are posting on social media and other public forums.

23/07/2024

INZ have been quite vocal recently that they will be tightening up on on the duration of visitor visas. It's important to note that this is not a change as such, it's merely INZ assessing and granting applications in line with the immigration instructions.

Prior to Covid, most visitor visas were granted for 3 months or less unless you had a VERY good reason for staying longer. However, with the advent of Covid, this was relaxed somewhat with the opening of the borders.

As per the below update from INZ though, they have confirmed that going forward, visitor visas will no longer be granted for 6 months by default. Pay careful attention to this when making travel arrangements and lodging general visitor visa applications.

03/07/2024

We are regularly emailed by people asking if partners can continue to work remotely for their employer in their home country or any other offshore employer for that matter. This question has also become far more prevalent with the changes to the partner policy last year and families starting to feel the pinch with the cost of living crisis. So many people don't know the policy and requirements around this and are unknowingly breaching their visa conditions.

If you are on a partner of a worker work visa (open) you have no employment restrictions except that any work you undertake must be legal. Because you have no restrictions on your visa, you are free to work remotely for an overseas employer if you so wish.

However, if you are on a partner of a worker (restricted) and you must work for an accredited employer, you are NOT allowed to work remotely for an offshore employer. Doing so would be a breach of your visa conditions. I've attached a picture from a recent INZ visa Pak where they provide clarity on this.

We understand how difficult it is for a lot of family's out there where partners must also work for accredited employers. Still, it's important you understand the conditions of your relevant visa and not do anything that would jeopardize your ability to remain in NZ.

25/06/2024

Another announcement from INZ that is being implemented with immediate effect. It's so frustrating that INZ have stopped providing notice around these and giving migrants an opportunity to comply before the change.

In essence, from today AEWV applicants or visa holders working in a skill level 4 or 5 role will no longer be able to support ANY type of visa for their partner or dependent children.

Fortunately this will not impact AEWV holders in a skill level 4 or 5 occupation if they have a pathway to residence.

This will impact anybody who has not already lodged their applications prior to 26 June 2024.

18/06/2024

It's quite rare that I make posts like this without 100% confirmation as it just causes unnecessary anxiety and panic for migrants. However, I've just had too many recent discussions with INZ about this and it appears there may be a bit of a perfect storm brewing in the immigration space that could have far reaching consequences for many. It appears there are going to be marked changes to both the Green List as well as visa application fees in the coming weeks.

As part of the National's campaign in 2023, they were quite vocal about increasing visa application fees to within 90% of what Australia charges. Any of you that have explored the possibility of immigrating to Australia will know their fees are markedly higher than INZ's fees. After the elections National seemed to go quiet on this, but with all the public sector job cuts and spending cuts in the media, it has once again reared it's head.

The Minister of Immigration has been clear that INZ has to both cut costs and increase visa fees in an attempt to achieve savings of $120 Million per year. A few of the increases that have been floated are as follows:
- Student visas will increase from $375 to $660
- Post study work visas will increase from $700 to $1,856
- Partner residence visas will increase from $2,750 to $8,500
- Residence visas will increase from $4,290 to nearly $9,000

Yes, you read those numbers right, in most categories we are talking about more than a 100% increase in fees.

In addition to this, INZ have intimated in recent meetings that there is a big shakeup coming to the Green Lists in the next few weeks. As always, they have been quite cagey about this but have let slip that there will be a number of occupations coming off the list and a good number of the removals will come as quite a shock.

I have always been quite vocal about this, if you are eligible to apply for a visa, regardless of the type, don't ever delay! I have seen sooooo many people over the years caught out by changes from INZ as they delayed their applications for whatever reason.

Once again, if you are planning or in the process on applying for a visa, including residence or PR, DO NOT DELAY as you could find your pathway gone or be subject to massive fee increases from INZ.

If you need any help to get your applications across the line before the looming changes, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us ASAP.

Send a message to learn more

17/06/2024

It's with some interest that I have been watching how the rhetoric has changed almost overnight on a lot of the pages and groups.

For the last 12 months myself, and many industry professionals, have been quite vocal against people telling potential migrants to come on over, you'll find a job easy on a visitor visa. Anybody that has chatted to me about immigrating or follows my page and posts knows I'm strongly against blindly coming to NZ on a visitor visa to search for work. Sadly, there are still a few places where this is happening far too often.

I applaud people trying to help but they often need to remember that they only have their own experiences to rely on, and often that experience was post Covid. However, what they often don't take into account is the likes of immigration advisers and recruiters do this day in and day out for a living and we are immersed in this industry. Like building companies know months in advance of a looming downturn, often so do similarly qualified professionals in the immigration space. I am amazed on a daily basis how often people choose to ignore both their advice and warnings.

What I'm starting to see now though, is a movement from one extreme to the other. Instead of telling everyone to come on over it will be easy, groups are now just telling people not to bother, there is no chance for them in NZ.

Yes, I am still vocal on the Facebook groups and regularly post my feelings on coming to NZ on a visitor visa to job hunt during the current climate. However, I certainly am not trying to dissuade people from immigrating to NZ when there is a clear pathway for them.

The reality is that there is still a tremendous opportunity for people who want to immigrate to NZ, even during the current economic climate. In fact, if I compare the number of people we are currently assisting with job offers, we are probably 15% up on numbers from this time last year. However, it's now very different to recent years and quite similar to when I immigrated in 2016. You need to prove that you qualified, skilled and experienced to fill RECOGNISED job shortages.

I am very thankful that the contributors across social media have become more realistic about prospects and for the most part have stopped telling people to just come on over. However, I am also somewhat disappointed that it has now swung to the other extreme and everybody is being told not to bother as there is no hope for them here. That is just not fair on them, nor is it necessarily true.

I still take the same stance I did when I first started my journey as an immigration adviser. Get all the background information first before making a determination about what a person's opportunities are. I ask that you do the same, yes, be realistic, but telling somebody they have no chance when you don't have all the facts can be just as damaging as telling people to blindly head over.

So yes, I find it quite ironic to be writing a piece like this, but I ask each person who contributes to Facebook groups to remember the reasons why you chose to leave your home country and be mindful of that when commenting on people's futures.

To those still wanting to immigrate to NZ, there is still tremendous opportunity and there is no time like the present! My advice is still the same as it has always been though, make sure you have the skills and experience to fill a genuine skill shortage and have a definitive pathway to residence. Now is not the time to try winging it on your own, make sure you meet with relevant immigration professionals and be sure of your pathway and future in NZ.

27/05/2024

INZ have announced new document translation requirements for visitor visas.

19/05/2024

We are looking for the next Superstar to join the Immigreat Team. If you feel you have the skills and experience to drive our business growth and manage our Australian clients, we want to hear from you! Check out our post on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/posts/immigreat-consultants_businessdevelopment-immigrationservices-jobopportunity-activity-7197774444130357248-ArUX?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Send a message to learn more

15/05/2024

Early Childhood Educators and Secondary School Teachers, we certainly do need you! As the immigration advisers of choice for South African teachers, we have been approached by one of NZ's biggest recruiters in the education space. They have a LARGE number of ECE and Secondary roles to fill and have therefore asked us to reach out to our network in South Africa and assist with placements.

The recruiters have some specific requirements as follows:

ECE Teachers:
- You will have an initial teaching qualification that will get an Early Childhood outcome when completing the qualification assessment process (if required). Examples of these are a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Development (Foundation Phase) or a PGCE in Foundation Phase.
- You will have experience teaching under 5 year olds, as children tend to start school in NZ when they turn 5.
- ECE needs to be your profession of choice, if you are looking for a stepping stone into primary or intermediate, this is not for you.

Secondary School Teachers:
- You must specialise in one of the STEM subjects. STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths.
- Within Science, the best specialisations are Chemistry and Physics.
- Within Technology the best specialisations are Woodworking, Hard Metals, Hospitality/ Food Technology, DVC [Design & Visual Communications] and Robotics.
- Within Maths, the key areas are Calculus and/ or Statistics
- The older the age group, the better. Someone who has taught up to Matric in Maths or Science is far more placeable than someone who has only taught junior classes (up to Grade 9/10).

If you believe you meet the brief and are happy to work through us as your immigration advisers, we'd love to hear from you!

13/05/2024

Am I eligible to immigrate to New Zealand?

This is without a doubt the most common question we get when people make first contact. The answer to this question is not as simple as one might think though, as there is a vast difference between moving to NZ and immigrating to NZ.

The reality is that everybody is able to move to NZ if they can secure a job offer from an accredited employer. Contrary to popular belief, there is no age cutoff for Accredited Employer Work Visas, so long as you meet the requirements of the job check and ANZSCO skill level, you can apply for the visa. If granted, you will normally get a 5 year work visa if working in a skilled (level 1-3) occupation.

However, it's important for people to understand that just because you can secure a work visa does not mean you necessarily have a pathway to residence. And if you don't have a pathway to residence, there is no long-term future in NZ as you will be required to leave the country at the end of your work visa for at least 12 months in most cases. Thus, you are not eligible to immigrate to NZ at this point in time.

So this is where my initial statement comes in about everybody being able to move to NZ but not everyone being able to immigrate. It ultimately boils to down to what you are trying to achieve and what your end goals are. Many are happy to come to NZ for a few years to work before returning to their home countries or moving onto their next adventure. For others, they are looking for a permanent move and wanting to make NZ their home in the long-term.

If you are keen on the short-term goal, you just need to have the qualifications, skills and experience to secure a relevant job offer. However, if you are wanting to make the move permanent, there is a lot more to consider. Not only will you need to meet the age requirements, you will also need to make sure you have a definitive pathway to residence. That means either working in a Green List role and meeting the requirements, or having the requisite occupational registration, qualifications or high income threshold to accumulate enough points through the SMC category.

With all the recent changes to immigration policies, it's more important than ever that you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. If that's residence and a long-term future, it's imperative that you reach out to us so that we can assess your eligibility and pathway to residence in NZ!

Send a message to learn more

29/04/2024

It's tremendously rewarding being part of a family's immigration journey.

26/04/2024

Great news, ballots for the 2024 Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota ballots open on 20 May 2024. Get in touch if you'd like us to assist with your EOI.

Registrations will open for the 2024 Samoan Quota and the Pacific Access Category on Monday 20 May 2024 at 08:00 New Zealand Standard Time (NZST).

21/04/2024

If you can't decide between immigrating to Australia or New Zealand, check out our latest blog post.

Are you thinking of immigrating to Australia or New Zealand but can't decide which country would be the best fit?

10/04/2024

MBIE's reasoning behind the recent changes. While I agree in principle with the concept of reducing net migration numbers, we clearly have different definitions of what constitutes a low-skilled worker!

An extra 20,000 people went on the job seeker benefit in 2023, while 52,000 low skilled workers were brought into the country. The numbers just don't add up. That's why this government has announced changes to the work visa settings to prioritise jobs for Kiwis to help rebuild our economy.

Read my Press Release here 👇 https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-responds-unsustainable-net-migration

07/04/2024

And with that, the changes to the green list have been announced. Corrections Officers made the cut fortunately, but none of the trades 😕.

Full article available at https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/changes-to-work-to-residence-and-occupations-on-the-green-list

07/04/2024

Tremendously disappointed by the announcement from the Minister of Immigration's office today that the bulk of the 17 roles will not be added to Tier 2 of the Green List as promised.

07/04/2024

As mentioned a few weeks ago, there was an expectation that INZ was going to make marked changes to the AEWV policy in response to the large net migration numbers of 2023 and the high number of migrant exploitation cases coning to light. The first of these changes were announced today with the most notable changes being:

- Introducing an English language requirement for migrants applying for low skilled level 4 and 5 roles.
- A minimum skills and work experience threshold for most AEWV roles.
- For roles that fall into the level 4 and 5, employers will need to engage with Work and Income before approval to bring in migrants will be granted.
- Reducing the maximum continuous stay for most level 4 and 5 roles from 5 years to three years.

The full press release it available at https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-responds-unsustainable-net-migration-0?fbclid=IwAR3UaeNZO0o_MoZbbZikuFRsT2ICXOpVoLURoPXkZmk1vTA081ilRMI6ifM_aem_AYsm7iav7xVeST2zpAqnC6ZwRAgxecNlw9wGB9gXQhInUjaBji8ZAJGhwu5AgM2oUsZtcFLM8j5N5V3gv03YjM6T

03/04/2024

This is certainly not the news I was hoping for and it doesn't fill me with much enthusiasm. Like many of you, I was desperately waiting for an announcement around the 5-year visa for parents. Reading between the lines of this article, it certainly does not seem like parents are going to be priortised in the short term. All National are now saying is that it will be reviewed this term. My take away from this is that reviews rarely go anywhere and it could be 3 years from now. Really disappointed to see National's lack of impetus in following through with all their election promises.

Erica Stanford is looking at reforms to family visas this term, bringing hope of a five-year visitor visa for parents and grandparents .

02/04/2024

This is tremendous news, it appears that the government has recognised the shortage of secondary school teachers and the occupation is going to be fast-tracked to residency from May. That will mean that offshore secondary teachers will now be able to apply for straight to residence!

I am excited to announce that overseas secondary school teachers who are moving to New Zealand will be put on a fast track to residency.

From May, eligible overseas secondary school teachers can apply for residence from offshore, rather than needing to gain work experience in New Zealand first.

This change will help address New Zealand's education workforce shortages.

This is just another step this government has taken in the right direction. We are committed to turning around declining levels of achievement and ensuring that every child in New Zealand receives a world-leading education.

02/04/2024

This is really disappointing and does not bode well for immigration I'm afraid!

I get multiple calls and emails a day asking about the changes National are going to be making in the immigration space. The most obvious questions are the additions of the 17 occupations to the Green List that was supposed to happen in March, along with the 5-year parent visitor visa.

My advice to everyone has been the same so far, do not count on changes until they actually become policy, and this article is proof of that. Reading through National's action plan for the next quarter and their 36 action points, there is not a single mention of immigration. It's pretty clear that immigration is just not a priority for the National government at the moment.

Erica Stanford has been making a lot of noise about tightening up the AEWV policy and bringing changes to cabinet this week. It remains to be seen if that will happen and how this impacts the policy, but outside of that, I don't think we are going to see many of the promises that National made as part of their election campaign come to fruition this year.

I hope they prove me wrong, but I have seen this happen to many times in recent years!

Goodbye 100-day plan - The government has a new list of big promises for the next three months.

25/03/2024

The latest thoughts on unemployment rates and job prospects. Interesting to read that even though there is an expected increase in the employment rate over the months to come that people are still feeling more secure in their jobs.

Employment confidence has turned positive for the first time since mid-2023, but workers say it is getting harder to find a job.

19/03/2024

Very disappointing for a lot of students caught up in this backlog.

Between October 1 and March 8, Immigration NZ received over 31k student visa applications.