Skilled Migrant Residence Visa Policy Calculator announced
Arunima Dhingra
The changes to the Skilled Migrant Category [SMC] include:
The introduction of remuneration thresholds as an additional means of defining skilled employment:
Jobs at ANZSCO skill levels 1, 2 and 3 must be paid at or above $23.49 per hour, which equates to a salary of $48,859 per year based on a 40-hour week.
Jobs that are not ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 or 3 must be paid at or above $35.24 per hour, which equates to a salary of $73,299 per year based on a 40-hour week.
The introduction of bonus points for high remuneration at or above $46.98 per hour, which equates to a salary of $97,718 per year based on a 40-hour week.
More points available for work experience, but points will only be awarded for work experience that is skilled.
Additional Points
Ten points will be awarded for skilled New Zealand work experience of 12 months or more, with no additional points for work experience of two years or more.
Points for recognised level 9 or 10 post-graduate qualifications (Master’s degrees and Doctorates) will increase to 70 points.
Points for people aged 30 – 39 years will increase to 30 points.
Points will only be awarded for partners’ qualifications if the qualifications are either a Bachelor’s level degree or higher, or a post-graduate (level 9 or 10) qualification.
Points will no longer be available for: employment, work experience and qualifications in identified future growth areas; points for qualifications in areas of absolute skills shortage or points for close family in New Zealand.
Please click at the link below to read more detailed information:
Read More
Please click at the link below for the new SMC points calculator:
Points Calculator
Essential Skills Work Visa – Policy
Changes to the Essential Skills work visa category include:
Introduction of remuneration bands to help assess the skill level of employment offered to Essential Skills visa applicants
Introduction of a maximum duration of 3 years for Essential Skills workers in lower-skilled employment. After 3 years, lower-skilled workers will need to spend 12 consecutive months outside New Zealand before they can be granted a further Essential Skills visa to undertake lower-skilled work
Requiring partners and children of Essential Skills workers in lower-skilled employment to meet the requirements for a visa in their own right
Introduction of transitional instructions for existing visa holders. These will allow partners and children of Essential Skills workers in lower-skilled employment to remain in New Zealand if they already hold a visa based on their relationship
Introduction of immigration instructions which allow international students who transition to lower skilled employment to continue to support work and student visa applications for their family, if they were able to support those applications while studying
Introduction of visa conditions which require that visa holders continue to be paid above the relevant remuneration threshold and that they provide evidence of remuneration payment if requested by an immigration officer.
New immigration instructions, effective from August 28, 2017, have been published in the Amendment Circular. Some frequently asked questions are below.
Arunima Dhingra is Director and a Fully Licensed Immigration Advisor at Aims Global Education and Immigration Services. The above appeared in ‘Aims Global Newsletter’ dated August 17, 2017. The article title was given by us. For more information, please visit www. aimsglobal.co.nz. Aims Global Education and Immigration Services is the joint sponsor with ‘The Fund Master,’ of the ‘Best Accountant of the Year’ Category of the Tenth Annual Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards.
