Resident Visa applications for skilled migrants open on 21 February

By: Gurbir Singh

Up to 10,500 people who were eligible to apply for a 2021 Resident Visa from 1 March 2022 will now be able to apply from 21 February next week.

“Individuals who have a Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Expression of Interest (EOI) that was submitted on or before 29 September 2021 will now be able to apply from 21 February,” this was announced by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) General Manager Geoff Scott today.

Scott says good progress is being made with processing applications received since the 2021 Resident Visa category opened on 1 December 2021 which means INZ can allow people who had already taken a step towards applying for residence to apply for their 2021 Resident Visa earlier than planned.

“Since Phase 1 applications opened on 1 December 2021, we have received more than 13,000 applications. Of those, nearly 6,000 have been approved,resulting in more than 12,500 people becoming residents under this new policy…

“Due to the good progress that has been made, individuals who have a Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Expression of Interest (EOI) that was submitted on or before 29 September 2021 will now be able to apply from 21 February.”

According to Geoff Scott, “This will be done in a staggered way, in the order of the date the individual submitted their EOI, with up to 1,500 individuals able to apply each day from 21 February. This will limit the number of applicants trying to apply at any one time and will help to reduce pressure on the online system.”

People who can apply early will receive an email from INZ on the day they are able to apply from and will need their EOI reference number to be able to apply.

INZ continues to prepare for all remaining eligible applicants to start applying when Phase 2 opens on 1 March 2022.

www.newsviews.co.nz/offshore-residence-visa-applications-processing-to-resume-after-court-ruling/

www.newsviews.co.nz/xmas-comes-early-for-over-1000-people-who-get-nz-residency/