Effective 24 February 2020, applications under the Residence for Work (RFW) programme will no longer be prioritised over those under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC).
Applications will now only be prioritised where an applicant requires professional registration or earns at least twice the New Zealand median wage (currently NZD 106,080 per year).
Processing times for RFW applications are therefore likely to increase, and temporary entry visas may need to be renewed while the applicant is waiting for a residence decision.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
