SMC - Does healthcare related jobs have priority to CO allocation?

[junlong]

From several news online or around me, I feel the job related to healthcare industry would be prioritised by INZ, even though they don't mention it as a criterion.

My friend works for DHB in PN as Data Analyst, Accredited Employer but not high renumeration, his AR date is in Feb 2019, and when INZ started internal priority around July, he was allocated to CO immediately and visa approved in Aug.

Another case is a graduate Physiotherapist who works at a clinic, not Accredited Employer, not high renumeration. His AR date was around July 2019, was allocated to a CO in 2 months.

Also there are another two similar cases like the second one in the second half of 2019, so I feel that INZ prioritises applications healthcare industry.

Does anyone hear similar cases or have some confirmation from the official?

[MagicPizza]

Registered occupations are prioritised.

"For argument's sake, we prioritise applications for the likes of those professions that require professional registration, which means that we're able to prioritise the allocation of registered nurses, of doctors, of other medical professionals, of teachers, of electrical engineers." - Peter Elms, Asst General Manager INZ.

[claire22]

Can your application be prioritise if you work for an accredited employer but your job doesn’t require registration and isn’t a over high pay threshold??

[ag]

Registered occupations are prioritised.

"For argument's sake, we prioritise applications for the likes of those professions that require professional registration, which means that we're able to prioritise the allocation of registered nurses, of doctors, of other medical professionals, of teachers, of electrical engineers." - Peter Elms, Asst General Manager INZ.

The comment above says they work in the Healthcare industry, but not in a profession which requires Professional Registration. I'm surprised in this case to be honest. That person must really be very lucky.

[MagicPizza]

In terms of priority, this SMC thread post is probably the most useful.

"I invite everyone to have a look at the response I got for OIA request

https://fyi.org.nz/request/11019-req...incoming-41211

Basically the first to be allocated are the ones who applied for escalation successfully. Secondly applications that meet certain criteria that I haven’t investigated yet. Thirdly applications that meet the criteria that Erin shared with us and lastly the rest of the mortals like me.

What this really means in terms of time I don’t know."

[Kelerei]

Secondly applications that meet certain criteria that I haven’t investigated yet.

Those are:

• Applications that have been declined, appealed to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal, and the appeal has been successful, resulting in the application having to be reassessed by INZ.
• Cases where a Resident Visa has been previously granted, but subject to conditions (as per Section 49(1) of the Immigration Act, with the conditions for SMC and the situations where they will be applied being defined under SM11), and the primary applicant has now met those conditions and is applying for their removal (note that getting Section 49(1) conditions removed, if they are applied, is a pre-requisite for applications for a Permanent Resident Visa, and also for a grant of New Zealand citizenship).
• Cases where the primary applicant did not have skilled employment, resulting in the application being deferred (as per SM3.20, which was SM21.10 in a previous version of the operational manual) and an invitation to apply for a Work Visa under Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Instructions (WR5) was issued -- and the primary applicant has used that Work Visa to obtain skilled employment within the SMC deferral period, and can now have the Resident Visa application finalized.

In all of the above, the primary applicant will have already gone through the normal processing queue.

[junlong]

I know those meet priority requirements can jump in the queue, all cases I mentioned are applicants working in health related industry but their jobs don't need registration like IT and physiotherapist, which seems indicate INZ is still prioritising government employment even it's been removed from criteria list.

[MagicPizza]

I know those meet priority requirements can jump in the queue, all cases I mentioned are applicants working in health related industry but their jobs don't need registration like IT and physiotherapist, which seems indicate INZ is still prioritising government employment even it's been removed from criteria list.

In terms of the data analyst, the new high renumeration threshold wasn't implemented until October 7th 2019.

The physiotherapist, they are on the LTSSL so maybe they applied for that Residence visa.

Correct me if I'm wrong @kelerei

[Kelerei]

In terms of the data analyst, the new high renumeration threshold wasn't implemented until October 7th 2019.

The physiotherapist, they are on the LTSSL so maybe they applied for that Residence visa.

Correct me if I'm wrong @kelerei

Not a bloody clue, but the Residence from Work categories are totally different immigration instructions from SMC, and it would make sense if they have their own queues separate from SMC.

[junlong]

They are neither high renumeration nor Residence from Work.