Tuesday, 10 April 2007
Changes have been made to the Work to Residence (WTR) component of the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC).
These changes include:
- Extending the WTR period to allow all principal applicants a period of nine months in New Zealand to obtain an offer of skilled employment.
- Allowing principal applicants who obtain an offer of skilled employment during their WTR deferral period to be granted residence and then meet the requirement to remain in their skilled employment for three months.
These changes are effective from 10 April 2007 and are applicable to principal applicants who make their SMC residence application on or after 10 April 2007.
A new transitional work permit policy has been introduced to grant a further three month work permit to principal applicants who are in New Zealand on an expiring WTR permit where the WTR permit was issued as a result of the SMC application being deferred for six months.
Applicants who obtain an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand after their initial SMC deferral period has ended, but during the currency of their permit issued under the transitional work permit policy, must submit a new SMC application if they wish to pursue residence in New Zealand. Such applicants will be facilitated through their subsequent SMC application with a waiver of the application fee.
This new transitional work permit policy comes into effect on 10 April 2007.
