New Income Thresholds
In August 2017 both work visa and resident visa requirements saw income thresholds introduced. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) introduced the thresholds for Essential Skills work visa applications and resident visa applications under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC). Immigration New Zealand indexes the income thresholds every year against the New Zealand median income. In most years, it means the income thresholds go up a little bit. The new income thresholds come into effect on Monday 15 January 2018.
The new income thresholds apply to all new Essential Skills Work visa applications submitted, and Expression of Interest selected after 15 January 2018.
Did you submit an Essential Skills work visa application before 15 January 2018? The old income thresholds apply when a Case Officer assesses your application. Even if a Case Officer makes a decision on your application after 15 January. The same applies to resident visa applicants under SMC. Is your Expression of Interest selected before 15 January? Immigration New Zealand assesses your resident visa application under the old thresholds. Even if your Invitation to Apply arrives after 15 January.
Do you currently hold an Essential Skills work visa?
The changes in income thresholds have the severest effect on people who currently hold an Essential Skills work visa with an income that is just above the current mid-skilled income threshold of NZD 19.97 per hour. If these people apply for a new work visa under Essential Skills and their hourly rate has not gone up, their hourly rate might be below the new threshold of NZD 20.65 per hour. This means their job is no longer classified as mid-skilled but as low-skilled. This might affect their ability to get a work visa and the length of the visa. It can also have implications for their family and their ability to obtain further visas.
Income Thresholds Essential Skills work visa
| Income threshold from 15 January 2018 | |
|---|---|
| Low-skilled (any ANZSCO skill level) | |
| Mid-skilled (ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 and 3 | ≥NZD 20.65 and |
| High-skilled (any ANZSCO skill level) | ≥NZD 36.44 |
Income Thresholds SMC
| Income threshold from 15 January 2018 | |
|---|---|
| Skilled employment (ANZSCO skill level 1,2, and 3 | NZD 24.29 |
| Skilled employment - ANZSCO skill level 4 and 5 or occupation not in ANZSCO | NZD 36.44 |
| High remuneration bonus points threshold | NZD 48.58 |
I syed Imran Ahmed Son of Syed Nisar Ahmed want to reach New zealand with permanent resident and work there . So please reply me and help me that how i apply in this category .
DEar Syed,
You need to find skilled full-time employment in NZ before you can apply for a work visa. A work visa is a temporary visa. There are very few people who can apply for a resident visa without a job in New Zealand. Whether you qualify for a work (or resident visa) depends on the job your find and your hourly rate, your work experience, and qualifications you may have. You also must be of good health and character. For a resident visa some additional criteria apply.
Kind regards,
Feija
hi…we were applying for permanent residence in Newzealand but they sent us a letter proposing a SMC job search visa inorder to travel to Newzealand and find a job there within 9 monthes…The problem that we have five children and we don’t know whether they will accept our children in school and give them health cards???
Also our skilled employment will be evaluated before granting permenant residence…
pls advice
Hi Wael,
Only the principal applicant in an SMC application can apply for a job search visa. Partners (and children) can’t come with them, unless they apply for visas in their own right. Your children would be international students and international tuition fees apply. No one in your family would be eligible for publicly funded health care.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi Feija
Now, I and my wife lived and worked in Auckland. My wife held work visa from one of company in Auckland from February 2016 till December 2018. And I hold Work visa based partnership from May 2016 till December 2018.
As we know the immigration rule was changed, and my wife become Lower skill.
My question : When my wife renewing her work visa for 1 year, can her support for my next work visa? Because I already hold the partnership visa before 28 August 2017.It mean I am on transition condition according to INZ website. Thanks for your replay..
Regard
Made
Hi Made,
As you already held a work visa based on a partnership before 28 August 2017, you are still eligible for another work visa based on a partnership, unless your wife is subject to a stand-down period (spend 1-year outside NZ) but based on the information you provided, this won’t be the case when you apply later this year for a new visa.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi Fejia,
My husband’s 2 years work visa is about to expire and he wants to apply for essential skill visa. I am on visitors visa valid till my husband’s 2 years visa validation. So now if he apply for essential skill visa, will my visa get converted as dependent and can i also work? What are the criteria for my husband’s essential skill visa application? Please advice.
Regards,
Steffy
Hi Steffy,
I’ve sent you an email.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi,
I am working in South Africa and intend to apply under the Skilled Migrant Category (Skilled level classification – ANZSCO level 4). How will the remuneration thresholds affect me? Do they relate to a NZ job offer which I should get first, before I apply?
Hi Themba,
It is difficult to apply under Skilled Migrant with an ANZSCO level 4 occupation. This is only possible if you have a job offer that pays NZD 36.44 or more per hour, which is rare for level 4 occupations. The hourly rate threshold is indexed every November. This, most likely, means it will go up in November.
There are also other requirements you must meet when you have a level 4 occupation.
Kind regards,
Feija