Parent Resident Visa Category

[waliajas]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has any updates on Possible change of rules for "Parent Resident Visa" Category. I called up customer care and they said they won't pick up anymore from EOI pool until June 2018 but not sure as yet if new rules will be in before that or not OR even they will pick up more EOI after June 2018!

Also, We applied under Tier 1 category of sponorship but I am not sure about few items. If anyone has dealt with or have information, I would really appreciate the help.

"F4.30.1 Sponsor’s income

To meet the minimum income requirements:
a sponsor or their partner must earn a minimum of $65,000 per annum before income tax; or
a sponsor and their partner together must earn a minimum of $90,000 per annum before income tax."

Question 1:
So the amount $65K or $90K, for which year or years we need to show this income i.e. Only for the year we submitted EOI or All the years from when EOI was submitted until we got ITA and case Officer assigned?

So in our case we submitted in Nov'2016 and assuming we get our ITA sometime in October 2018. Do I have to show 65K for only 2015-2016 or All year onwards from 2015-2016, 2016-2017 and 2017-2018.

Question 2:
It says annual income before tax but are they talking about Total Gross income or taxable income? I am contractor and pay GST and claim expenses. So, My total gross income is different from taxable income. From IRD website, Taxable income = Gross income - expense.

[JandM]

There has been no further announcement about this category since this one. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/abou...arent-category Anything else anyone says at this stage will only be guesswork, with a new government in place which COULD decide to change this, or honour it, or something else entirely.

1. Someone who has gone through this may be able to help here. There is nothing specific in the regulation, except that it talks about the need for it to be sustained and regular. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/46408.htm F4.30.1 d.

2. Total gross income.

[waliajas]

Thanks JandM! As always.

Thanks for sharing the link. I am under the impression that is Gross income but having looked at the link you shared and it says

"The minimum income requirement referred to in (a) above must be met by personal taxable income that is obtained from one or any combination of:

sustained paid employment; or
regular self-employment; or
regular investment income."

Very confusing!

Also, One another question I had is that $65 or $90 limit, for how many years we have to show it? We submitted application in Oct'16, So I though for tax year 2015-2016, I need to show $90 combined but now that they have closed application and it will potentially only open sometime in 2018 or 2019! So, Do we have to show $90 combined for all these years or the year they pick up the EOI?

Any help will be really helpful.

Thanks,
Jaskaran Walia

[JandM]

Is there anything you can add, ChrisMwn?

[ChrisMwn]

Is there anything you can add, ChrisMwn?

I've always read it a $ per annum, (in the year before the decision is made,with evidence from IRD, or more simply current employment, if employed)

[waliajas]

I've always read it a $ per annum, (in the year before the decision is made,with evidence from IRD, or more simply current employment, if employed)

Thanks ChrisMwn! Exactly what I think too! It's just explicitly not mentioned in either forms or guide. For residency criteria, they have mentioned clearly that when ITA is requested and you submit residency application, Sponsor has to be resident for 3 years with 184 days clause but nothing of such sort regarding income. This just leaves a grey area where Case Officer might interpret differently!

Also, @ChrisMwn or @JandM - Do you know if its possible to change sponsor while your application is in EOI pool OR when they send you ITA and you can then change the sponsor?

The reason I am asking this is that me and my brother are both in New Zealand as resident and citizen respectively. My brother has sponsored our parents application last year. However, by June 2019, I would be eligible to sponsor my parents. So, if our parents application is picked up before that time, we would continue to use my brother as sponsor and if application is picked up after June 2019, we would like to switch sponsor to myself.

Lastly, Are you guys aware of any potential changes to Parent Category visas? They have already reduced the numbers to 2000 per year and now, not sure what else in terms of policy they are going to change and When! Any updates that anyone has regarding this?

Thanks as always @ChrisMwn and @JandM

[JandM]

I have not heard of anyone ever being able to switch sponsor - not even heard of the possibility being raised. Looking at this page https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...table-sponsors, I don't think it would be possible. Look at the section When sponsorship begins and ends. "Sponsors can't withdraw their sponsorship."

There have been no announcements about Parent Category since this. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/abou...arent-category Anything that anyone says about the matter can only be guesswork at the moment.

[waliajas]

I have not heard of anyone ever being able to switch sponsor - not even heard of the possibility being raised. Looking at this page https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...table-sponsors, I don't think it would be possible. Look at the section When sponsorship begins and ends. "Sponsors can't withdraw their sponsorship."

There have been no announcements about Parent Category since this. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/abou...arent-category Anything that anyone says about the matter can only be guesswork at the moment.

Thanks again for the reply.

That link says "Sponsorship begins from the date the sponsored person arrives in New Zealand, or if they are already in New Zealand, the date their visa is granted." and it make sense.

My question was while the application is in EOI phase or we have ITA but not yet submitted the residency application for parent category. So, until immigration NZ has received residency application, would it be possible to change sponsor from what was mentioned in EOI?

[JandM]

As I said above, I have never heard of the possibility being raised, so I don't have an answer for you. You would need to contact INZ to see what the official position would be.

[perry1234]

Hi Wallajas,

Read all your thread and I assume they are going to announce the review before june 2018. But I have a feeling that they may bring the income requirements up a bit this time. (Time will tell)

Currently in same situation as yours. Looking to sponsor my father and was become eligible a month before they closed the category. Hopefully they come up with not too hard sponsorship requirements this time once they open the category. Is there anything else you know of about the coming changes or what do you think can happen?

I believe you may need to show your 3 years of income. but Immigration officer will tell you about this better once they open the EOI pool and send you the invitation. Have you applied your parents EOI already?

Looking forward to hear back from you.