This nation is famous for its stunning scenery, better living standards, and desirable educational prospects. Obtaining permanent residency status in New Zealand means that an individual has been granted the freedom to live, work, and study in the country without any limitations to the time period. This blog offers an extensive explanation of the New Zealand PR procedure, timelines, points system, and course-specific routes for foreign students.
How to Get PR in New Zealand
General Processes
Expression of Interest (EOI): You must apply for an Expression of Interest through the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) if you, first of all, meet requirements and secondly, gather sufficient points.
Invitation to Apply (ITA): In case your expression of interest proves fruitful, you will be issued an ITA for residence.
Application for Residence: Use the online residence application to fill in all the relevant documents, including scans of certificates of work experience, qualifications, health, and character certificates.
Decision: Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will consider your application and, having granted your residence application, the INZ will issue you a residence visa.
Key Requirements
Skilled Employment: This means one must have an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand, or one must be working at the time in a skilled occupation.
Age: They cannot be older than 55 and must not have served another employer for much more than two years in a position similar to the one they seek.
English Language Proficiency: Ensure that you show good English proficiency, usually through obtaining an IELTS, TOEFL, or any other equivalent test.
Health and Character: Possess health and character standards, including tests conducted by a team of doctors and police clearance certificates.
How many years to get PR in New Zealand
The duration of getting PR in New Zealand depends on the applicant and the immigration categories applied in the country. In a general sense, it may take half a year to one and a half years or more to get the residence visa after submitting an EOI. They include the quality of the application in terms of its completeness and accuracy, which have a role to play in the time it takes to process the application, the demand for immigration services, and the time it takes for the application to be processed at INZ.
New Zealand PR Points Calculator
The PR points calculator for New Zealand is an essential part of determining the qualifying criteria for the SMC. The various achievements are awarded depending on merit attained through various factors such as age, employment in skilled posts, working experience, qualification, and other requirements. An EOI can be lodged only if the applicant earns at least 160 COMP points at the present moment.
Key Point Criteria
Age: Age is an important determinant, where maximum points are given to applicants in a range of 20–39 years.
Skilled Employment: This article provides information needed to obtain points for a current job or an offer of a job in New Zealand.
Work Experience: Experience also has to do with the number of years of relevant work experience, increasing the points as well.
Qualifications: Available points for qualifications sought and extra points towards qualifications from New Zealand.
Bonus Points: Further points for employment in regions outside Auckland, partner occupation qualification, and skills work experience in New Zealand.
How to Get New Zealand PR for International Students
Every student who has ever studied in New Zealand and wants to become a PR has a unique window to achieve it. Here are the steps:
Post-Study Work Visa: Finally, consider obtaining a post-study work visa after the completion of your education, which will allow you to work in New Zealand for up to three years.
Skilled Employment: Available employment opportunities: Get a job related to your field of study. This is important in order to gain points towards the offer of residence in the Skilled Migrant Category.
EOI Submission: After accumulating adequate points, one should apply for the EOI through the Skilled Migrant Category.
ITA and Application: If your EOI is approved and you get an ITA, apply for residence.
PR Approval: INZ will then reconsider your application, and if it meets all the stated criteria, it will issue you a PR status.
Key Takeaways
Permanent residency (PR) in New Zealand permits you to live, work, study, and do almost anything in New Zealand for an extended period without any hindrance, and it retains many privileges similar to citizenship.
The general process includes an expression of interest, an invitation to apply for residence, an application for residence, and a decision stage from INZ.
The timeline may vary depending on the specific type, but it typically ranges from several months to up to a year.
The PR Points Calculator provides an indication of whether you qualify under the General Skills Category: You can accumulate points in the following areas: age, work experience, employment, and qualifications.
From the previous sections, international students can qualify for PR based on skilled employment obtained after completing their studies and through EOI and ITA.
