Intending skilled migrants coming to New Zealand under the Work to Residence policy will get more time to find a job, says Immigration Minister David Cunliffe.

“We have listened and acted on the considerable feedback from the migrant community regarding the time that some prospective migrants need to come here and find a skilled position,” the minister said.

“People granted Work to Residence permits under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) will, from 10 April, be given nine months instead of six to find a job. Overseas applicants will also be given an additional three months to get to New Zealand before that nine months begins.

“Another change means that skilled migrants who find a job will no longer need to work for three months prior to getting residence.”

A transitional policy for those already in New Zealand on the Work to Residence permit has also been approved. Immigration officers will have the ability to waive some immigration fees after the Expression of Interest (EOI) stage.

“During a review of this policy we took on board feedback from a number of migrants and migrant groups who felt that the current policy was putting some at a disadvantage. We heard anecdotally of cases where people had excellent skills on offer, but just needed an extra few months to get a skilled job.

“The nine month period is a better balance between giving migrants a decent chance to prove themselves, while also ensuring they have what’s needed by Kiwi employers.

“We certainly don’t want to miss out on those skilled people who have potential to make a real contribution at a time employers need skilled labour to move their businesses forward,” Mr Cunliffe said.

The Work to Residence policy is designed for those migrants who meet all the requirements of the SMC but need to prove their employability before being granted residence. Other approved SMC candidates who have New Zealand jobs or job offers generally receive residence straight away.

“The changes are part of a general review of our skilled migrant policies. Further changes will be announced in due course. Work is also underway to develop a new business model that will further enhance New Zealand’s ability to attract talented people from around the world.”

The New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment described the moves as “steps in the right direction”.

“We are, however, disappointed that government has not adopted our own proposal for an extension of work to residence visas to one year’s duration. We believe that a twelve month visa would provide new arrivals with a more realistic opportunity for exploring the market for their specific skills, and would also make prospective migrants more attractive to employers.

“Many New Zealanders know from their own experience that it can take time and persistence to find appropriate work, even in a buoyant job market. The task is obviously far more taxing and time-consuming for newcomers, who might well experience initial difficulties finding their feet in their new environment. Our immigration policies need to take these realities into account.

“We also believe that we should relax or even jettison the requirement that employment gained through the work-to-residence scheme under Skilled Migrant policy must include a considerable level of managerial, specialist or technical expertise. We believe that this requirement places the benchmark too high and is helping to frustrate the policy’s purpose.

“It’s hard to imagine many employers offering senior positions, particularly with a managerial component, to people with short term work permits and no guarantee of residence. Furthermore, a rigidly formalistic concept of skilled employment will probably fail to reflect market realities at any given time.”