Summary of the changes announced by INZ so far

[deverett]

oh Even when NZ goes into alert 3 , they won't process paper applications? I work in an essential service (also hold a essential worker pass) so will that help if I write an email telling them about this?

They will likely expect you to just get another work visa as per usual rules when there isn't a pandemic. Even at level 3 it won't be safe for them to operate in the office containing the documents for processing. As an essential worker they would prioritise your new work applications as per Erin's posts but that doesn't help with your residency.

[EGoodhue]

oh Even when NZ goes into alert 3 , they won't process paper applications? I work in an essential service (also hold a essential worker pass) so will that help if I write an email telling them about this?

Yes, I'm afraid as deverett has said, while you have the option to apply for a further work visa to ensure you remain lawful and retain work rights then INZ expect you to apply for another appropriate temporary visa while they are not processing Residence applications. This applies even if you are an essential worker.

[msum]

Actually I am not on a work visa sponsored by the company so I can't simply apply for a new work visa or an extension. My visa was Skilled Migrant Residence on which decision has been deferred till securing a job . It means I have to show them a job before Oct and they are bound to issue me either residence or an interim visa if the job verification is going to take time

[JandM]

So you are at present on a Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Visa? That category hasn't been specifically mentioned so far, but all other temporary visas have been extended (point #2 above). It seems likely (guesswork here, not official) that something similar would happen to your visa, IF the emergency extends over the end-date. I know this doesn't help with getting your family their residence visas along with yours, but even if they already held them, they wouldn't be allowed to enter New Zealand yet - the borders are closed.

[msum]

yup Skilled migrant category Job search visa. Yeah I know bringing family is near to impossible these days but for now I am just hoping to atleast get issued residence visa so that I get safe before my expiry. You are right I guess. They may extend it if they are unable to process.

[EGoodhue]

Iain Lees-Galloway (the Minister of Immigration) is having a Q&A session via Zoom tomorrow evening:

Zoom Public Meeting
7pm, Thursday, 23 April
https://parliamentnz.zoom.us/j/7832618997
Meeting ID: 783 261 8997

I am also now a member of NZAMI (NZ Association of Migration and Investment), which is the professional association for immigration advisers. They have been having discussions with INZ during lockdown, conveying the concerns and important issues that we as advisers are facing on a daily basis in our discussions with clients to INZ's management team. I see that NZAMI is hosting a meeting for members, called "INZ Insights", next Thursday that I will try and participate in, and will post any updates that I find out from that meeting on here.

[Skizz]

Iain Lees-Galloway (the Minister of Immigration) is having a Q&A session via Zoom tomorrow evening:

Zoom Public Meeting
7pm, Thursday, 23 April
https://parliamentnz.zoom.us/j/7832618997
Meeting ID: 783 261 8997

I am also now a member of NZAMI (NZ Association of Migration and Investment), which is the professional association for immigration advisers. They have been having discussions with INZ during lockdown, conveying the concerns and important issues that we as advisers are facing on a daily basis in our discussions with clients to INZ's management team. I see that NZAMI is hosting a meeting for members, called "INZ Insights", next Thursday that I will try and participate in, and will post any updates that I find out from that meeting on here.

Thank you for making us aware of this. I was wondering if the current situation has caused INZ to considering putting additional application types online. To be selfish, I am able to apply for residence from work on May 15th using the accredited employer pathway. This is a paper application, which strikes me as odd given that it is honestly quite straightforward. If residency from partnership, a much more complex pathway, can be done online, why can't other more simple residency applications be online? This would allow for INZ officers to do more work from home I'd presume.

[EGoodhue]

Thank you for making us aware of this. I was wondering if the current situation has caused INZ to considering putting additional application types online. To be selfish, I am able to apply for residence from work on May 15th using the accredited employer pathway. This is a paper application, which strikes me as odd given that it is honestly quite straightforward. If residency from partnership, a much more complex pathway, can be done online, why can't other more simple residency applications be online? This would allow for INZ officers to do more work from home I'd presume.

While I agree that more application types should be able to be applied for online, I think, at the moment the staff resources available to do anything other than the bare minimum of work relating to the Covid-19 response in NZ are too few to undertake the IT project that would be required to allow different categories of application online. Also, I think considerations around secure IT connections to ensure Privacy laws can not be breached are serving as a barrier to allowing Immigration Officers to do any significant volume of processing work from home.

[claire22]

If anyone is able to join the meeting (it’s at capacity) can you take any relevant notes please and inform us what was said..

[Yanco]

Iain Lees-Galloway (the Minister of Immigration) is having a Q&A session via Zoom tomorrow evening:

Zoom Public Meeting
7pm, Thursday, 23 April
https://parliamentnz.zoom.us/j/7832618997
Meeting ID: 783 261 8997

I am also now a member of NZAMI (NZ Association of Migration and Investment), which is the professional association for immigration advisers. They have been having discussions with INZ during lockdown, conveying the concerns and important issues that we as advisers are facing on a daily basis in our discussions with clients to INZ's management team. I see that NZAMI is hosting a meeting for members, called "INZ Insights", next Thursday that I will try and participate in, and will post any updates that I find out from that meeting on here.

I was looking forward to this.

But I'm extremely frustrated at the moment because I'm unable to join because the meeting has reached a maximum of 200 participants!!