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We are continuing to get queries from people offshore asking if the business and investor category is continuing on a business as usual basis. What are the options? There are two main investment categories: Investor 1 (minimum investment NZ$10 million for at least three years) and Investor 2 (minimum investment NZ$3 million for at least […]

Proving the position still meets the labour market test The basic rule for many of our work visa categories is that no New Zealanders are available for, or could be retrained to do, the work and that the employer has made genuine efforts to recruit New Zealanders. A picture has started to emerge of tougher

How do I apply for a border exception? To apply for an exemption a basic email form is completed which if successful will lead to an invitation to apply. No documents can be attached to email to apply and the explanation field amounts to 60 words or so. We have got around this in some

Other critical workers: Is there a ray of light in the tunnel? Recent media coverage has referred to exceptions for the critical production staff for the movie Avatar, the sewerage tunnel in Wellington and a few other mission-critical projects of obvious economic benefit to New Zealand. The original process required support from the Minister of

New Zealand moved to Alert Level 1 on Tuesday 9 June 2020… 80 days after the government announced the alert system on 21 March 2020 New Zealand had achieved no new cases of COVID-19. We moved down to Level 1 on 9 June 2020. There are very few restrictions at this level. Domestically the focus

Repeat Labour Market tests Immigration Instructions already provide that a skills match reports must be provided from MSD for ANZSCO skill level 4 and 5 positions.  The tests include that the employer must show genuine efforts to recruit, that the position is financially sustainable (that could be difficult for employers who have applied for the

New Zealand moved to Alert Level 2 on Thursday 21st May 2020 Our border remains closed for non-residents and citizens with very few exceptions.  The border closure could be for 12 months or more. Urgent changes have been made to the Immigration Act 2009 enacted by Parliament on 13th May 2020. These changes give the Minister of

Our border is now closed Who is affected? The New Zealand Government closed our border to almost all travellers from midnight Thursday 19 March 2020  except: New Zealand citizens. New Zealand residents. Their spouse and immediate dependants. Even these people will go straight into isolation for 14 days when they arrive. What does this mean if

COVID 19: What we’re doing to ensure continued services We know this is a difficult time for our clients and employers. Pacific Legal is working to minimise disruption.  We’re confident we have the systems and plans in place to do so. Our systems are portable We’re excellently placed to work remotely. All our systems including

Recently there have a lot of stories about declined partnership-based visa applications in the media. Discretion was removed for visitor visas for arranged marriages and other genuine relationships where the couple, for religious, cultural or other reasons had not yet lived together. Pacific Legal joined others in advocating for a review. Eventually, a more flexible