Proposed Changes to New Zealand SMC
Immigration New Zealand is expected to announce changes regarding the Skilled Migrant Category within the next month after a period of consultation with businesses and industry. A date for the implementation of changes will also be announced in due course. The Minister of Immigration has released a statement suggesting the changes will not take immediate affect from the date of announcement; indicating any SMC policy change will allow further time for current policy to continue before the new changes are enforced.
The Skilled Migrant Category is expected to still represent approximately 40% of residence applications and will be supported by both the Straight To Residence and Work to Residence pathways under the Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the Green List.
What this means for prospective migrants
We understand the proposed shake up of the Skilled Migrant Residence system can bring many questions on what your migration pathway may look like. The changes are likely to be very beneficial for some migrants while impacting others adversely. The level to which is unknown at this stage given the policy has yet to be announcement or finalised. As mentioned there are many unanswered questions at this point which will only be known at the future time when policy is released.
Employers remain desperate for migrant workers
Furthermore, in recent months and years there have been many cases where Immigration New Zealand and Government proposed policies have been proposed and ready for release and then been altered, delayed or retracted. Therefore the above changes need to be viewed in with a level of pragmatism as to the level of changes that will take place, when they will be introduced and the overall impacts to your situation. Also worth bearing in mind that 2023 is an election year and negative publicity is likely to be a key factor when introducing new policy that may lead to public reaction. Employers remain desperate for migrant workers, particularly with the recent cyclone / flood events and infrastructure rebuilds that are of immediate need and will take many years to complete.
New points calculations and eligibility criteria
Minimal information has been released so far, however it has been indicated that the Government aims to change the Skilled Migrant category eligibility criteria to an easier-to-understand, 6-point system based on claiming points for categories including (however may not be limited to):
- Salary level (from 1.5 x median wage to 3 x median wage)
- Occupational registration
- NZ-based work experience (from 12 months up to 3 years)
- Qualifications (signalled as bachelor-level or above)
Please reach out to your licensed immigration adviser with any questions or concerns you may have.
