Ombudsman complaint re: cherry-picking of SMC applications

[devarajl]

Sharing information from "squishmaster" post

https://fyi.org.nz/request/11976/res...nd%20dated.pdf

As per INZ Jan 2019 CO allocation will happen by Mid 2020. If they already have plans in place to delay it should be announced publically..

Typo above corrected

[EGoodhue]

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/progr...visa-programme

Minister of Immigration has told INZ he wants processing of SMC applications sped up.....the first glimmer of hope in a long time that this issue is finally on the Minister's radar and we might see some positive action soon?!?

[chandanN]

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/progr...visa-programme

Minister of Immigration has told INZ he wants processing of SMC applications sped up.....the first glimmer of hope in a long time that this issue is finally on the Minister's radar and we might see some positive action soon?!?

Great.. News. Thanks Erin..

[karoro]

Perhaps this will make them speed up the processing of all visa applications. I hope they don't just increase the waiting time for other categories of visa.

[Yanco]

I have finally found the energy to submit a complaint to the ombudsman as well.

[deverett]

Sharing information from "squishmaster" post

https://fyi.org.nz/request/11976/res...nd%20dated.pdf

As per INZ Jan 2019 CO allocation will happen by Mid 2020. They already have plans in place to delay which should be announced publically..

So still only moving a month in 4 months, so the hole continues to be dig deeper for them. Here's hoping the minister finally breaking his silence and telling them to start moving has some impact and actually starts moving the queue. A bit rich him telling them to get moving when they still haven't confirmed the nzrp for them to work to. I half expect it to accelerate heavily once that's announced and then come July the brakes slammed back on as they approach the quota early again.

[Yanco]

I have finally found the energy to submit a complaint to the ombudsman as well.

The complaint has been allocated.

[EGoodhue]

INZ have posted news about their "priority criteria" on their website: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/abou...for-applicants. They have also amended instructions at A16.1 to make this priority criteria "legal" (finally). I'm not sure what this will mean for complaints already made to the Ombudsman. I live in hope that INZ come through on their statement that they will resume allocating applications from the general queue.

[deverett]

INZ have posted news about their "priority criteria" on their website: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/abou...for-applicants. They have also amended instructions at A16.1 to make this priority criteria "legal" (finally). I'm not sure what this will mean for complaints already made to the Ombudsman. I live in hope that INZ come through on their statement that they will resume allocating applications from the general queue.

Can they do this? Isn't there laws that say they have to process as per the instructions at date of lodgement. Don't get me wrong it's positive news if they actually get the queue moving, just seems wrong they can essentially change the manual on everyone after they've applied.

[EGoodhue]

Can they do this? Isn't there laws that say they have to process as per the instructions at date of lodgement. Don't get me wrong it's positive news if they actually get the queue moving, just seems wrong they can essentially change the manual on everyone after they've applied.

I think because it's a "general instruction" rather than an instruction pertaining to a specific category or type of visa that one would be applying under, it's regarded as a sort of 'blanket rule' covering all applications at any time. But I agree that it's wrong that they can just change the rules on a whim like that - particularly when such a specific criteria doesn't seem to have existed at A16.1 ever before.