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NEW PASS MARK AT 140 POINTS By Lawrence Johnston HIGHLY talented migrants are being given priority in new moves to help migrant intake meet New Zealand's skills shortage.The move introduces a two tier points system whereby the highly talented who score 140 points or more in the first step in the migration process - their expressions of interest (EOIs) - will be selected automatically. Applicants who score between 100 and 140 points and have a New Zealand job or job offer will be ranked and selected in sufficient numbers to meet the country's skilled and business migrant needs assessment. If enough places are available, other EOIs may be selected on the basis of specific criteria which Immigration Minister David Cunliffe will set every six months. "This flexibility will enable us to keep tailoring the category to meet employers' needs, while taking into account the suitability of applicants," Mr Cunliffe said. Migrants who could prove that employers wanted to hire them to fill vacancies were the ones New Zealand needed. The new process would target these people. "In a tight labour market we need to select people who can make an immediate and substantial difference to the growth of New Zealand," Mr Cunliffe said. Applicants will continue to submit an EOI for residence and gain points for their skills, qualifications, experience and other indicators of their ability to settle successfully in New Zealand. Previously, the EOIs were then ranked and applicants meeting the set selection point were selected from the pool. Since September 2004, the set selection point has remained at 100. Mr Cunliffe said: "New Zealand is an attractive destination for skilled migrants. Demand is high for places in our residence categories. We can afford to be more selective to target the top talent, and those who have job offers in areas of skill shortage." Since its introduction in 2003, the Skilled Migrant category had targeted migrants who New Zealand needed in a tight labour market. "The new selection process will further meet the needs of New Zealand businesses by prioritising highly skilled migrants and those who have jobs or job offers in New Zealand," Mr Cunliffe said. And high demand for skilled migrant places has prompted another initiative. Over the next two financial years, an additional 3,000 places will be made available for skilled migrants who have job offers. A further 1,000 places will be made available to skilled migrants, taken from other immigration categories. Mr Cunliffe said: "While pressure is easing on employers, the labour market remains tight and skill shortages are still acute. The increase of new migrants to fill job vacancies will help employers needing to recruit skilled workers from overseas for their business growth." And there are other changes. The period that EOIs remain in the pool is increased from three to six months, but the period that applicants are granted a work to residence permit has been reduced from two years to six months. A provision has been included to allow for the grant of a further work permit for a maximum additional period of three months, where the principal applicant has an offer of skilled employment but requires a further work permit to meet the three month requirement. This applies to skilled migrant applications for residence received on or after last December 21. The two-year period still applies to applications received before that date. Also, some selected EOIs will not warrant an invition to apply for residence. Those selected from the pool on or before December 21 that: * On December 21 had not resulted in an invitation to apply for residence; and * Did not include a claim for points for an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand or current skilled employment there; and * Had a total points claim of 100 or 105, will not be invited to apply for residence on the basis of that EOI, unless the person expressing interest in that EOI was already in New Zealand then. People affected may submit a further EOI to the pool until and including June 21. There will be no further fee payable. Those wanting to submit an EOI in this manner need to contact the EOI team at eoiteam@dol.govt.nz There was no selection of EOIs from the pool between December 22 and January 31.That meant that the last selection under the old selection mechanism was on December 21. The first selection under the new mechanism is on February 1. |
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