Are you dreaming of making a move to beautiful New Zealand, famous for its gorgeous scenery, peaceful small towns, friendly people and active and outdoor lifestyle?

The Skilled Visa in New Zealand is a visa that will allow you to move to New Zealand for the long term and work within your specialised field. The Skilled Migration category allows for skilled individuals to gain the opportunity to establish permanent residence in New Zealand to help boost the New Zealand skilled workforce. The Visa is managed by Immigration New Zealand under the Immigration Act of 2009.

With this visa, the employer in New Zealand doesn’t have to provide proof that they have been trying to recruit New Zealanders. This is because Immigration New Zealand reviews the lists on a regular basis and they have decided that employers are unlikely or unable to find enough local employees with the right qualifications, skills and experience.

The program operates on a points system which are allocated according to age, employment, work experience, qualification and other categories. For example, an applicant will get 50 points for a skilled job offer in New Zealand, a further 30 points if the job is outside the Auckland Region, etc. You will get 10 points for two years of skilled employment anywhere in the world and 15 points for 4 years. Overall, the total points must add up to at least 140.

You will need to send an Expression of Interest which states all of this information, including your work experience and qualifications. If the Expression of Interest is successful New Zealand will offer you the opportunity to apply to live and work indefinitely. You might qualify for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category.

Important Tips You Should Know

There is a lot to be aware of when you are making your application, so take your time! When it comes to applying for the New Zealand Skilled Visa, here are some important tips that you should know.

• Remember that if you are claiming points on your application for your qualifications, they will need to be on the List of Qualifications Exempt for Assessment or they will need to have been assessed by the NZQA.
• This Visa is not suited for those who are self-employed. If you have your own business it is better to apply for an Entrepreneur Resident Visa instead.
• To apply for this visa you must be 55 years or under.
• You will need to have a current passport that is valid for at least three months after you plan to leave New Zealand.
• You will also need to provide a Police Certificate for your country of citizenship as well as any other country where you have spent 12 months or more over the last 10 years (even if you haven’t spent those 12 months consecutively). You won’t be asked for this until you are invited to apply for permanent residence.
• If you are invited to apply for permanent residence you will also have to have a heath chec. You will need to have a medical examination and a chest x-ray that will demonstrate that you are of good health.
• It is important to know that according to the law in New Zealand you will need to be registered before you will be able to work in some occupations. If you to work in any of these occupations, such as Dental Technician, Financial Advisor, Medical Laboratory, Optometrist or Occupational Therapist you will need to get that done prior to applying.
• When you are sending off your application, check it over very thoroughly so that you can make sure that it is correct and that you are not missing any information. If you forget something you will have to start the application process over again, which will really set you back.

Applying for a working visa such as the New Zealand skilled visa can be a complicated process and there are a lot of details to pay attention to when you make the application. Sometimes it can really help to work with a professional visa company such as The Emigration Group because they can help you make sure that your application is complete and correct. To find out more, contact them today.