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

By Lawrence Johnston

THE NEW passmark for the new-style skilled migrant category has fallen again.
It is now 180 new points, against a high of 195 points when the scheme was introduced.
However, there is no guarantee it will remain at this figure.
Highly qualified professionals are being actively recruited to meet New Zealand's skills shortage. The development is a direct result of the first two full months' operation of the new Skilled Migrant Category (SMC).
Among those being invited to apply for residence are highly qualified IT professionals, doctors, nurses and secondary school teachers.
A psychiatrist, a microbiologist and other scientists are also being invited, as are trades people such as mechanics and electricians.
But others are missing out because their expression of interest (EOI) contains inaccurate information. This has prompted a plea from the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS).
Its Branch Manager in London, Kevin Cameron said: "We've been experiencing difficulty in the quality of the information we've been receiving. It will help the applicants' cause and speed up the processing of their applications, if they ensure that what they enter is correct."
All EOIs selected from the pool are checked by NZIS officers to ensure that the points score claimed is correct. Where the score is incorrect, the NZIS recalculates the points. If the new score is at or above the selection point and other EOI details check out, the EOI will proceed to the invitation to apply stage.
If the new score is lower than the selection point and the NZIS is satisfied that it is due to a genuine error, the EOI is returned to the pool and will be available for the next selection at the revised points score.
But if the NZIS considers the applicant deliberately attempted to mislead, the EOI does not go any further.
But Mr Cameron is heartened by the high percentage - more than 80 per cent - of EOIs that are being submitted on-line. This is not only more immediate than by post, but the fee is appreciably lower.
Under the SMC, prospective migrants submit an EOI which goes into a selection pool. Then after verification checks, the NZIS formally invites those drawn from the pool to apply for residence.
Selection is every fortnight and when we went to press the passmark was 180 - down five points from what it was in March, and 15 lower than when the SMC was launched.
Of the EOIs selected so far, more than 70 per cent have been from principal applicants claiming points for a job offer in an area of absolute skills shortage. University lecturers and car mechanics are among those included.
A similar proportion are from principal applicants claiming points for a job offer outside Auckland - answering another of New Zealand's needs.
The SMC was created by a law change last year, and is aimed at shifting the focus from the passive acceptance of residence applications, to the active recruitment of people with the skills that New Zealand needs.
The New Zealand government has an annual quota of 45,000 places under its immigration programme, with some 60 per cent - 27,000 places - allocated to the skilled/business stream.
New Immigration Minister Paul Swain said: "A key government objective is a return to the top half of the OECD. This world-leading immigration programme gives New Zealand more control over increasing the level of skilled workers in the economy."
The calibre of the EOI had exceeded expectations. "Many applicants have achieved well over the 100 points minimum score. This allows us to select the very best migrants for New Zealand," he said.
Under the SMC, the NZIS selects only as many EOIs as match the places available in the programme. It also has the flexibility to increase or lower the selection point accordingly.
Mr Swain said: "Processing residence applications under the SMC is a priority for the NZIS, and processing times will depend on the level of checks and other verification procedures needed before a decision can be made to grant residence.
"This new programme is an important part of the government's drive to achieve sustainable growth for New Zealand."