Home > Our Publications > New Zealand Outlook > 2004 > February

By Lawrence Johnston

THOSE wanting to emigrate to New Zealand via the new skilled migrant category, can now submit an expression of interest (EOI) online rather than on paper. And that will save you both time and money. The cost saving is NZ$150, since the price for submitting by paper was increased to NZ$465 on February 1.
The time saving advantages include:
* If you complete your EOI online and meet the eligibility criteria you can submit your EOI immediately and remotely. You won't need to post it and await acknowledgement.
* You will know, electronically, before you submit your online EOI whether you meet the minimum criteria. You won't need to post your form to the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS) and wait for a response.
* If you have submitted your EOI online, you can check the status of your application on your EOI homepage - you won't need to contact the NZIS to track its progress.
Other advantages of the online version are that it:
* Provides a higher level of confidence that you have calculated your points correctly.
* Gives you an instant electronic indication of whether you meet the minimum criteria.
* Is more convenient since it enables you to remotely track and view the status of your EOI online - there's no need to wait by the letter box.
* Saves time since for many people inputting data via a computer is easier and quicker than manually writing it in paper form.
* Enables you to update your details even after your EOI has been submitted to the pool, and
* Provides instant online help and assistance.
If you have all the information you need to complete your EOI, for example employer contact details and details of your partner, and are relatively familiar with the skilled migrant policy, you may be able to complete an online EOI in less than two hours.
But many people won't be able to do so in one sitting. In that case you can save your details and complete it over a period of time.
If your EOI is submitted successfully it will be entered into the EOI pool and prioritised in terms of points claimed.
Those with the top points will be selected from the pool and, following checking, will be formally sent an Invitation to Apply for residence. When a decision on your EOI has been made, you will be notified. You will also be able to check the status of your EOI by viewing your EOI NZIS homepage.
If your EOI is not selected from the pool the first time, it will remain in the pool for three months. If it is still unsuccessful, the NZIS will tell you that your EOI has been withdrawn from the pool.
If no EOI pool selection has occurred within the three month period that your EOI is in the pool, it will remain there until such time as a selection from the pool is made.
The number of people in the pool will vary, but it may hold several thousand EOIs at any one time. But your key consideration is whether you will meet the selection point.
That point - the points score at or above which qualifying EOIs will be selected from the pool - will fluctuate. That will depend on the number of places available in the New Zealand immigration programme's skilled/business stream, the quality of the EOIs that are in the pool, as indicated by their points score, and the total number of EOIs in the pool at selection time.
You won't be sent a confirmation e-mail or letter that the NZIS has received your online EOI and payment. But you can check the status of your EOI on your homepage.
An EOI will be valid for three months after submission to the pool or - if no selection has taken place during three months - until the next selection from the pool is made. Naturally you will be notified if your EOI has been selected.
If you use an online EOI, you will be able to view updated information on the results of the selection on your homepage. How much time it takes to make a decision depends largely on the quality, completeness and accuracy of the information you provide the NZIS. If you give them all the information they need and they are satisfied that it is true and accurate, you will be able to process it more quickly. They will keep you informed of the progress of your EOI as it is processed.
As for what steps you should take to apply for residence as a skilled migrant, they are:
* Complete the online skilled migrant points quick check. Your result will tell you whether you meet the minimum criteria.
* Complete the online points indicator. Your result will help you decide whether to take the next step and submit an EOI. If you score at least 100 points, and meet other criteria, your next step is to complete an EOI.
* Complete the online EOI including - if you have children - the child supplement.
* If your EOI is selected from the pool, following checking, the NZIS will send you an Invitation to Apply for residence. You will need to complete a formal application and send them all the necessary documents to support the claims you make in your application and EOI.
The NZIS will then inform you of their decision and you must confirm your decision to go to New Zealand.