On Monday, the Immigration Minister will detail policy reforms to prioritize high-skilled migrants. At the same time, thousands of ‘non-priority skilled migrants wait indefinitely for a chance to settle in New Zealand.
On Monday, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi will lay out a policy shift to attract high-skilled migrants to boost competitiveness and resolve skills shortages.
Faafoi’s speech would also set the tone for New Zealand’s immigration reset, which will involve luring high-level investment investors who can help the economy recover faster post-Covid by creating jobs.
To prepare for the reopening of our borders, the minister has been working on temporary work visa changes and a revision of the Skilled Migrant Category visa.
The Productivity Commission has also looked at the country’s immigration policies, including how immigration affects the labor market, housing, related infrastructure, and the natural environment.
According to Faafoi’s office, the minister will make no statements about the existing backlog of non-priority applications.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke at Auckland’s Future, Now conference on Friday, and she alluded to Faafoi’s address, which will concentrate on attracting high-value, foreign investment.
“I urge all of you in the room to keep an ear to the ground on that,” she told the 260 participants, emphasizing its possible importance.
“We’re simply using Covid to come to a halt and examine our immigration settings.”
“We must remain open for business and growth even though our borders are closed.”
Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill said at the event that the new economic and cultural organization had already collaborated with many government departments to pilot new skills, activities, investment, and technology programs.
He said, “This is the blueprint for the future.”
Officials are currently handling “non-priority onshore” residency applications from August 2019, according to Faafoi. A year and eight months is the average wait period.
On the other hand, priority applications are assigned to officers within two weeks of the request for migrants earning more than $106,000 or employed in jobs that need occupational registration.
Migrants protested outside Parliament on Thursday, expressing their dissatisfaction with long processing times and border restrictions separating families.
Faafoi told protesters that he was unable to provide them with the information they desired.
“We are well aware of the inconvenience this is creating, and as I previously said, we will continue to look for ways to change border settings so that more people can enter the country safely. I recognize the challenges, but I appreciate your coming to Parliament to ensure that your concerns are heard.”
As Faafoi finished his message, migrants chanted, “not good enough.”
Anna Burghardt, a new resident, received her permanent residency in January after a 20-month wait. Burghardt applied for citizenship with her husband, who arrived in New Zealand after the earthquakes to help rebuild Christchurch.
During her long wait in the non-priority line, she started the Migrant NZ Facebook page, which has grown to over 35,000 members in just ten months.
Despite their citizenship, she and her husband feel “unwelcome and undervalued,” she claims.
Thousands of refugees, according to Burghardt, are trapped in limbo. At the same time, they wait for a decision on their residency and be reunited with family members separated from them.
“People want optimism and kindness, as the Prime Minister has said. But what’s going on isn’t fun.”
Senior economist Eric Crampton of the New Zealand Initiative says the world was more open to refugees when he emigrated from the United States in 2003.
“New Zealand seemed to be a welcoming place for migrants both before and after I arrived in 2005. It didn’t matter that he didn’t have a place to live or that he didn’t have citizenship. I can no longer advise anyone to consider relocating here, “Crampton explains.
Crampton claims that Immigration New Zealand needs to “correct” its procedures as soon as possible, citing the delay in residency processing and the failure of qualified migrants onshore to reunite with their families.
“Running a near-fraudulent immigration screening system seems like an interesting way to do it if the Government wants qualified migrants to consider coming here,” Crampton says.
He’s referring to Immigration New Zealand’s practice of collecting expressions of interest fees for professional migrants but not processing visa applications.
Last month, the chief ombudsman ordered Immigration New Zealand to apologize for an unofficial policy that allowed highly-paid residents to bypass the queue.
Only after migrants lodged complaints with the government watchdog in early 2020 would the criteria be discussed.
Between July 2018 and February 23, 2020, unspoken rules prioritized professional migrants earning $106,080 a year and government employment or roles requiring occupational registration (including real estate agents).
Only after migrants lodged complaints with the government watchdog in early 2020 would the criteria be discussed.
Between July 2018 and February 23, 2020, unspoken rules prioritized professional migrants earning $106,080 a year and government employment or roles requiring occupational registration (including real estate agents).
This would allow 2400 additional RSE workers and 300 specialized construction workers to enter the country by March of next year.
Four hundred international students will be able to apply in June, and 100 refugees will apply every six weeks.
As New Zealand transitions from crisis to recovery, the need to help local businesses has become even more apparent.
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