Immigration re-balance plan: Partners of future work visa holders to not get “open work visa”
The government is steaming ahead on its bold plans for immigration re-balance by taking some sweeping decisions around work visas and residence criteria.
One of the important decisions in this regard is making it difficult for the partners of future work visa applicants to arrive in the country to automatically get an open work visa – a sharp departure from current practice.
Currently, a partner of any work visa holder arriving in this country was eligible to get an open work visa up to the term of their partner’s work visa.
The partner’s open work visa was valid only till the main work visa holder’s visa was valid – depending upon gaining a valid employment in the country.
Most of the comparable western immigrant countries like Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom follow this practice to entice skilled migrant workers chose their country as a place to work and residence and bring their families.
Now, New Zealand is giving up on this practice in a bold bid by placing a requirement on partners of future work visa holders to apply for their own separate work visas by getting an appropriate job offer and finding an accredited employer.
A new Accredited Employer Work Visa will replace six different work visas from July 4 (when processing of applications will open for entry on July 31 and after).
Under this system, and employer has to be accredited and can only hire overseas migrant for high skilled high wages jobs (paying above median wages, $27.76).
By bringing a new requirement on the partners of future temporary migrant workers coming into the country to find an accredited employer, a high wages job and apply for their own separate AEW visa, the government, it seems is being ambitious in attracting new skilled migrant workers into the country.
Echoing the sentiments that the latest announcement is too ambitious to attract highly skilled migrant worker into the country Immigration Lawyer Alastair McClymont says, “How can you attract a nurse to work in NZ for two years if their partner cannot get an open work visa.”
“I am not confident if this will attract high skilled migrants from all around the world to come to New Zealand, if they have an extra worry to apply for a separate work visa for their partners,” McClymont said.
Meanwhile, Immigration New Zealand has clarified on this new requirement around work righst of future workj visa holders.
MBIE Acting Deputy Secretary Ruth Isaac told the Indian Weekender, “From December 2022, most partners of Accredited Employer Work Visa will need to qualify for a work visa in their own right, if they wish to work. Unlike other work visa holders, all partners can work less than 30 hours a week, reflecting they may have other responsibilities, such as childcare, and are not the primary household earner. If they don’t wish to work, they will receive a visitor visa."
To ensure New Zealand can attract high-skilled migrant workers, partners of migrants working in occupations on the Green List or paid twice the median wage will continue to receive automatic open work rights. There are no changes to automatic open work rights for partners of New Zealanders.
"All Registered Nurses are included in the Green List and their partners will receive automatic open work rights.”
The government is steaming ahead on its bold plans for immigration re-balance by taking some sweeping decisions around work visas and residence criteria.
One of the important decisions in this regard is making it difficult for the partners of future work visa applicants to arrive in the country to...
The government is steaming ahead on its bold plans for immigration re-balance by taking some sweeping decisions around work visas and residence criteria.
One of the important decisions in this regard is making it difficult for the partners of future work visa applicants to arrive in the country to automatically get an open work visa – a sharp departure from current practice.
Currently, a partner of any work visa holder arriving in this country was eligible to get an open work visa up to the term of their partner’s work visa.
The partner’s open work visa was valid only till the main work visa holder’s visa was valid – depending upon gaining a valid employment in the country.
Most of the comparable western immigrant countries like Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom follow this practice to entice skilled migrant workers chose their country as a place to work and residence and bring their families.
Now, New Zealand is giving up on this practice in a bold bid by placing a requirement on partners of future work visa holders to apply for their own separate work visas by getting an appropriate job offer and finding an accredited employer.
A new Accredited Employer Work Visa will replace six different work visas from July 4 (when processing of applications will open for entry on July 31 and after).
Under this system, and employer has to be accredited and can only hire overseas migrant for high skilled high wages jobs (paying above median wages, $27.76).
By bringing a new requirement on the partners of future temporary migrant workers coming into the country to find an accredited employer, a high wages job and apply for their own separate AEW visa, the government, it seems is being ambitious in attracting new skilled migrant workers into the country.
Echoing the sentiments that the latest announcement is too ambitious to attract highly skilled migrant worker into the country Immigration Lawyer Alastair McClymont says, “How can you attract a nurse to work in NZ for two years if their partner cannot get an open work visa.”
“I am not confident if this will attract high skilled migrants from all around the world to come to New Zealand, if they have an extra worry to apply for a separate work visa for their partners,” McClymont said.
Meanwhile, Immigration New Zealand has clarified on this new requirement around work righst of future workj visa holders.
MBIE Acting Deputy Secretary Ruth Isaac told the Indian Weekender, “From December 2022, most partners of Accredited Employer Work Visa will need to qualify for a work visa in their own right, if they wish to work. Unlike other work visa holders, all partners can work less than 30 hours a week, reflecting they may have other responsibilities, such as childcare, and are not the primary household earner. If they don’t wish to work, they will receive a visitor visa."
To ensure New Zealand can attract high-skilled migrant workers, partners of migrants working in occupations on the Green List or paid twice the median wage will continue to receive automatic open work rights. There are no changes to automatic open work rights for partners of New Zealanders.
"All Registered Nurses are included in the Green List and their partners will receive automatic open work rights.”
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