Residency

[MerryMiller]

Hi all,

I wonder if anyone could help with residency questions?

I may be able to get a work sponsored migration to NZ and would like to know how to get residency.

Can you apply for residency prior to getting into NZ or do you have to wait a pre-determined time once in on a temporary work visa?

Help please,

Miller

[Droner]

Hi,

If you have an offer of skilled employment, you can apply for a resident visa under the skilled migrant worker category. I am in the process of doing that from Canada, hoping to arrive in NZ sometime in September.

[jawnbc]

There are a few trajectories to living in NZ based on work, two of which lead to residency:

Skilled Migrant Category application for residency: takes longer, but you arrive with your residency sorted out.
Work-to-residence work permit: you get a permit that leads to residency once you're there if you wish.

SMC takes longer--months rather than days or weeks--but you only submit one application. WTR is often completed in less than 10 days (assuming everything is submitted correctly), but you would then apply for residency once in NZ.

I chose (like Droner) to go for SMC--I'd rather sort everything all at once. Currently I'm at 5 weeks since submission of my application and awaiting a decision. But I was asked to submit additional materials and my medical was referred. Others have got theirs approved-in-principle within one month lately.