SMC EOI selection numbers

The latest selection of successful EOIs for the Skilled Migrant category was 486 applications. (12/10/2016)

This is nearly 1/2 of the number of ITAs before the big changes in Residence policy 

With the recent changes, nothing under 160 points has a chance to be selected, so this really clearly shows that around half of the previous EOI submissions were between 100~159 points. Selection statistics also show that a number of applications that seemd to have enough points were not selected, indicating problems with the application.

The causes of unsuccessful EOI submissions are most likely where an applicant claims points for things that are not possible, like claiming points for qualifications that don't match the work experience, or work experience that is not in a comparable labour market, etc. 

How do you get 160 points for SMC residence?

To some this might seem like a big impossibility, in reality it just needs a bit more careful planning. Until recently the problem was that you could apply in theory with just 100 points, you probably wouldn't get an ITA, but at least you could apply and feel like you had a chance. As we have been reporting recently, the percentage of applicants who were given and Invitation to Apply (ITA) was averaging around 46% only. What this means is that even though there were many people applying, less than half of them were invited to apply for residence, and this could even be only the ones who had more than 140 points.

If this is true, there may not actually be that big a change, it just means that now there is less false hope. There were certainly a reasonable number of people who were given an ITA without a job offer, so definitely people in this same situation will be affected, but to get an ITA without a job offer would require a very high level of qualification and work experience anyway, which means that these same people should still have a chance under the new instructions. 

What do I need?

There are many combinations of points available, but lets look at a common example perhaps.

Our client has a a skilled job offer (=50 points), outside of Auckland (=30 points). He has 4.5 years experience doing this type of work in his own country (= 15 points), he hasn't worked in NZ before (= 0 points) but he has a university degree which NZQA have assessed as being equivalent to NZ Level 7 (= 50 points). Our client is  32 years old (= 25 points) and is single.

Our example client here has 170 points, which is above the threshold and hives him a good chance at success in both his residence application and in living in NZ.

What combination of points are possible?

There are many combinations, and it is all a trade off. If you have a job offer in Auckland you will lose 30 points, so you will need to make them up somewhere else, perhaps your partner has a high level qualification or you are working in an area of future growth, you have NZ work experience or something like that. The 160 points threshold doesn't make it impossible, it just requires more planning

English language requirements for residence - New changes.

Following yesterdays big change to INZ's residence policy, changes to the English language requirements will affect many people. Until now it was possible to prove your English was good enough by working full time for 1 year, by living in an English speaking country for some time, and many other possibilities.

This has now changed and there are now 4 definitely clear ways to show your English is good enough:

1. By English test result. From 21/11/2016 tests other than IELTS will be accepted, but before then, only IELTS will be accepted.The scores required are: IELTS 6.5, OET B, Cambridge English (FCE) 176, PTE Academic 58, TOEFL iBT 59.
2. Citizenship with at least 5 years of work or education in: Canada, Ireland, the UK, or the USA
3. A level 7 (bachelors degree) from the countries above, with at least 2 years of study
4. A level 8 degree from the countries above, with at least 1 year of academic study

Parent category residence changes.

There were 3 big changes from this week's announcement, another one of these changes is that the Parent category for residence has been stopped.

What this means is that for most people who had intended to support their parents' residence in NZ after they themselves get residence, will no longer be able to do this. This will affect the majority of migrants who want their parents to live with them in NZ I think.

So what can you do? The only category that could allow parents to gain residence in NZ based on their children's residence is the Parent Retirement category. This category is much tougher and requires parents to have a lot of money to invest and to support themselves. Parents will need at least $1 Million to invest and $500,000 to support themselves.

Residence visa - SMC 160 points.

What does this mean?

The last part of the big news from this week's change to the immigration instructions is that applicants for the Skilled Migrant Category must have 160 points to be invited to apply for residence.

The minimum is still 100 points, but there is no way for this to be drawn now, so the reality is that you must have 160 points or more to have a chance. There are many ways to gain the required amount of points, but as a guide: