We are close to getting a job offer, maybe even two to choose from, and I need to solidify our plans for which visas we'll apply for.
We have, for many years, been focused on qualifying for the Skilled Migrant Category. But is it in fact the best and/or easiest path to permanent residence? What are the advantages and drawbacks?
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...-resident-visa
(Fee for EOI stage: $530 for USA, fee for ITA stage: $3085, processing time about 10 months. Never expires)
Some possible benefits:
- You can apply as a family, perhaps reducing the need to exhaustively prove your relationship?
- Once you're approved, it never expires (although you still need to be careful about travel conditions)
-....anything else?
The main, obvious drawback is that it takes so long to process, currently about 10 months, and from this forum I've seen 18 months is not unusual (maybe partly because it takes so long to get a case officer in the first place?). So, many people use Essential Skills (which typically processes in 3 months or less) in order to start work as soon as possible. Depending on the skill level of the work, your partner and dependent children can apply for work or student visas for the same length of time as your Essential Skills visa.
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...ills-work-visa
(Fee: free for US, about 67 days to process. Duration: up to 5 years depending on skill level)
But, if you have to apply for all those quicker visas, doesn't that somewhat eliminate the benefit of applying as a family for Skilled Migrant? I imagine we'll have to undergo relationship proofs in order to get these two visas:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...k-visa-holders
(Fee: free for US, currently about 73 days to process. Duration: same as partner's work visa)
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...d-student-visa
(Fee: free for US, about 55 days to process. Duration: same as parent's work visa)
(Note that the dependent child student visa is for kids 19 and under, while Skilled Migrant allows kids 24 and under.)
Is it correct that Essential Skills can't lead to permanent residence, you just keep getting new Essential Skills visas? I think this is why people also apply for Skilled Migrant at the same time.
But, what are the other pathways to permanent residence?
What about the Long Term Skilled Shortage List Work Visa, for those eligible? Family must still apply separately, just like Essential Skills.
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...list-work-visa
(fee: free for US, up to 3 months to process. Duration: 30 months)
After two years working in that occupation, you can apply for residence using the Long Term Skilled Shortage List Residence Visa. The family can be processed together for this one.
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...dent-work-visa
(fee: $1550 for US, about 10 months to process. Duration: never expires)
Am I correct in thinking that the LTSSL Residence Visa is for permanent residence? Actually, as I look more at it, it seems to be similar to Skilled Migrant Category, i.e. not the same as permanent residence, although it never expires.
The disadvantage with the LTSSL visa that is immediately apparent to me is that you need to prove you've worked in your occupation for 2 years, instead of only 3 or 12 months for Skilled Migrant (3 months for Auckland, 12 months for everywhere else in NZ). So that's a little extra red tape. But...it is a lot cheaper, for one thing, especially if your passports are from a country that allows free processing for partner/kids visas.
Does anyone have any anecdotes on which pathway to permanent residence is less hassle? Is the documentation similar? Can you skip the LTSSL Residence Visa and just apply for PR? I'm guessing not, since this visa exists - and who would apply if you could just get PR after 2 years on the LTSSL Work Visa? That would push the timeframe for citizenship...
My understanding is that after 2 years on a residence visa (and demonstrating commitment to NZ in certain ways) you can then apply for a Permanent Resident Visa. The big difference between residence and permanent residence is that you have no travel conditions, correct? So even though Skilled Migrant Category visas never expire, you can't come and go as you please until you are granted permanent residence. Family can be included in the Permanent Resident application, including dependent children up to age 24:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...-resident-visa
(fee: $190, 14 days to process.)
Essentially, what I don't have figured out is which work visas will lead to PR, and which are not considered "good enough" to count towards the 2 year requirement. Is it simply a matter of "Resident" being part of the title of the visa, as opposed to "Work"?
Are these the two main pathways to permanent residence and eventual citizenship for a skilled worker and family on the LTSSL list? Am I missing anything major? Which would you prefer to use, if you could choose?