Skilled Migrant Category

Applicants who wish to apply for residence in New Zealand as skilled migrants need to undergo a two-stage process. The first stage is to register an Expression of Interest in applying for residence in New Zealand. This can be done either on-line or on a paper-based form. You must have a minimum of 100 points to lodge an Expression of Interest and enter the Pool. The current threshold is 100 points.

There are fortnightly draws from the Pool. At the time of each draw a selection point is decided by Immigration New Zealand and all Expressions of Interest in the Pool at the points threshold or higher are automatically selected. Expression of Interest applications are then scrutinised and undergo a thorough verification process. Those applicants whose Expressions of Interest appear to be viable are then invited to apply for residence. At the time of applying for residence (within four months of the invitation to apply being made), applicants must produce current police certificates, medicals and all of the regulation documents required for a residence application. They must establish evidence of their previous work experience, qualifications, offer of skilled employment etc.

Points may be awarded for age, skilled employment, recognised qualifications, recognised work experience, a job offer from a New Zealand employer, having a New Zealand resident/citizen close family member, qualifications and skilled employment for spouses. In certain cases, applicants may qualify without a job offer.

Bonus points are awarded for applicants who have skilled employment in identified future growth areas and areas of absolute skills shortage. There are also bonus points available for skilled employment in a region outside of Auckland. These points can only be claimed if there is a job offer or you are working in New Zealand.

Many applicants find that they need an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand to meet the required number of points. (Please note, Ryken and Associates does not assist with finding offers of employment for prospective migrants). Please be aware that if you do not have an offer of skilled employment or current skilled employment in New Zealand you are not able to count as recognised work experience, any work experience which is undertaken in a country not deemed to be a "comparable labour market" to New Zealand. Countries such as India, China, Sri Lanka are not considered comparable labour markets.

However points for work experience gained while working in a country not considered as comparable labour market can be claimed if it was undertaken for a multinational commercial entity (including a wholly or majority owned subsidiary of such an entity that bears the same core name as the parent company) domiciled in one of the countries considered as a comparable market.

If you are considering an application under the Skilled Migrant Category, please feel free to fill out our visa assessment form and send it to us. We will then respond to you and let you know whether an Expression of Interest application is worth pursuing.

Please note that we do charge for any detailed advice/opinion given after our first email response (but not for our first e-mail response).