How To Get A PR In New Zealand?

New Zealand may be a small country but has much to offer. It is a country that provides affordable healthcare, has a world-class education system, believes in maintaining a healthy work-life balance and promotes cultural diversity. A land that is home to picturesque landscapes, a thriving economy, and great employment opportunities has been an attractive destination for people all over the world. If you have been considering studying in New Zealand or shifting there, read more to find out about how to get a PR in New Zealand.

Must Read: Cost Of Studying In New Zealand: Key Details

Types Of Visas In New Zealand

Studying in New Zealand or moving there for work is a dream of many. To make sure maximum people get a chance to visit this beautiful country there are various types of visas here. If you want to find out how to get a PR in New Zealand then first find out about 5 common visa types available. They are: 

• ETA –  This document is not a visa but allows you to enter New Zealand for a period extending up to 3 months. It is basically a visa waiver that grants entry to New Zealand without going to the consular office. ETA permits a stay of a maximum of 90 days per entry. The ETA expires 2 years after it has been issued.
• New Zealand visitor visa – this is the most common type of visa that people usually apply for. However, not everyone needs to apply for this visa. This visa is only applied by people belonging to those countries without a visa-waiver must apply. Additionally, people belonging to visa-waiver countries who wish to stay longer than the visas have been waived must apply.
• New Zealand Student Visa – this document allows you to enter New Zealand for educational purposes. You are allowed to stay in the country only as long as the duration of the course. The applicant is allowed to work, but the amount of hours one can put in is limited.
• New Zealand Work Visa – The applicant can apply for this visa if they are interested in working in New Zealand. However, in most cases, the visa gets approved only if there is a job offer for the application.
• New Zealand Resident Visa – This visa allows you to do pretty much anything like a New Zealand native. One can get a job, choose not to, and even stay in New Zealand for as long as one wants.

Also Read: Part-Time Jobs in New Zealand

Obtaining a PR Visa In New Zealand

Moving on to how to get a PR in New Zealand, you must be aware of all the criteria. A New Zealand PR enables you to live, work and study in New Zealand for as long as you wish. You can also avail the same benefits as a New Zealand citizen. Candidates are eligible to apply for New Zealand PR after being a resident of New Zealand for 2 years. To obtain a PR visa, one can use several visa options, namely:

• Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa – individuals who have the skills to contribute to the economic growth of New Zealand are invited to apply for this visa. However, before the invitation is given, applicants must send an Expression of Interest (EOI) explaining their employment, work experience and qualifications. The Expression of Interest is successful; the applicant will be offered an opportunity to apply to live and work in New Zealand indefinitely. The applicant can include their partner and dependent children under the age of 24 in their application.
• Partner Of A New Zealander Resident Visa – Applicants can apply for this visa if their partner is a citizen/resident of New Zealand. After being granted residence, the applicants can live, work and study in New Zealand for an indefinite period. The applicant can also include dependent children aged 24 and under in the application.
• Long-Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa –  Applicants will be eligible to apply under this visa only if they have the specified work experience, qualification and occupational registration to work under the Long term skill shortage list. Additionally, they are required to have an offer to work in that occupation. Continued working in New Zealand for a period of 2 years makes the applicant eligible to apply for the visa.
• Permanent Residence Visa – if the applicant has a New Zealand residence visa and has been living in New Zealand for 2 years or more may be eligible for a permanent resident visa. A PR visa will enable the applicants to travel to and from New Zealand at any time they like.
• Entrepreneur Work Visa – applicants who want to carry out their own business in New Zealand may apply for this visa. For this, the applicants will have to provide the following:
  A . A detailed business plan
  B.  Have at least NZ $ 100,000 (INR 52,48,306) to invest in the business
  C.  Be able to claim 120 points on the points scale. 
• Tax Residence Status: Before applying, the candidate needed to have spent 41 days in New Zealand annually. Their tax residency status ought to have been determined as well. Either the statement from Inland Revenue or the Confirmation of Tax Resident Status with Inland Revenue endorsement must be presented.
• Non-Primary Applicant: They cannot submit an application before the main applicant. In some circumstances, those listed on the application (spouses, parents, and dependent children) may get PR directly. For non-primary candidates to be qualified, the principal applicant must already have a PR visa.
  • Partner’s Eligibility:
  • Those who are listed as partners by the lead applicant will be qualified after fulfilling certain requirements. They comprise the following:
  • Separated or divorced from the principal applicant.
  • The Demise of the primary applicant.
  • Order of protection against the principal applicant.
  • The citizenship of the Principal Applicant is New Zealand.
  • Conviction of the principal applicant for a crime against a partner or dependent child.
  • Eligibility for Children:
  • The travel requirements can change if you have listed your kid as a dependant on the residency application. Your eligibility will depend on whose parent you live with if you are under 16 and your parents are divorced. The primary applicant will be taken into account in the evaluation if you are living alone. The authorities will evaluate the other parent for the child’s eligibility if the latter becomes a citizen of New Zealand or dies.
  • If one of the parents wasn’t included on the application or passed away, the children can seek an independent examination. The other parent’s current citizenship in New Zealand will also be taken into account. You will be required to present documentation, such as custody agreements and others.

Relevant Read: Easiest Country to Get Permanent Residency

PR Points System

If you want to find out how to get a PR in New Zealand, we must tell you about the PR points system. The visa category employs a point-based system to determine the eligibility of the candidate. Applicants must secure at least 100-135 points to qualify for the Expression of Interest pool. 

Additionally, the candidates must secure 140 points in EOI to qualify for an invitation to apply for the PR Visa. The points are given depending on the following criteria, namely:

• Age – A maximum of 30 points are given for the 20-29 years age group and a minimum of 5 points for the 50 to 55 years age group.
• Employment – 60 points are secured by currently skilled employees and about 50 points are given to those who are looking for a job or have been working for less than a year.
• Education – 50 points are given to applicants who have a bachelor’s degree or other major diploma qualifications and 55 points are given to those applicants holding a master’s or a doctorate.
• Work Experience – Points range from 10 given to those who have been working for a period of 2 years and 30 given to those who have been working for 10 years. Additional bonus points may be given depending on appraisals of the candidate’s work experience.
• Family Ties – 10 points are secured by those who have close family members in New Zealand.

Note: All courses with a minimum of 180 credits are eligible for permanent residency.

Requirements For A PR Visa

There are certain requirements for a PR visa, which you must know in finding out how to get a PR in New Zealand. The requirements are mentioned below: 

• A candidate must be under 55 years of age at the time of lodgement.
• A candidate must have good health.
• A candidate must have a certificate of good character.
• A candidate must have a job offer letter from a company located in New Zealand.
• A candidate must have a work experience of at least 3 years.
• A candidate must get a resident visa for at least 2 years before applying for permanent residency.

Benefits Of PR In New Zealand

If you want to apply for PR in New Zealand and inform yourselves about how to get a PR in New Zealand then you should also know about the various benefits of PR in New Zealand. They are: 

• Candidates will get permission to enter and leave the country multiple times in the first two years.
• Candidates get eligibility for citizenship
• Candidates will have the right to study, live and work in the country
• Candidates need to pay only domestic fees for their education in the country
• Eligibility to sponsor the candidate’s relatives for a PR visa.
• Candidates can get access to medical and social security benefits

Explore: Honest Study in New Zealand Reviews

How to Get PR in New Zealand?

The PR visa for New Zealand costs around 190 NZD (INR 9,474.34). To obtain a PR in New Zealand follow the steps below:

• Check the eligibility criteria and make sure you meet the requirements
• Those who have applied from outside New Zealand need to take the NZQA assessment. However, the process can be skipped if the overseas qualification is mentioned under the list of qualifications exempt from assessment. The purpose of this assessment is to verify the educational credentials.
• Next, submit the expression of interest. In the expression of interest, a candidate can state the reasons why they want to settle in New Zealand. This step involves document submission checking the profile and sending the invitation letter.
• Lastly, wait for the New Zealand officials to accept the EOI and send an invitation to submit a residence application. Next, fill in the details and provide documents to support the claims regarding the age, qualifications, work experience, and language proficiency
• The authorities will verify the credentials and may not approve the PR request.

FAQs

This was all about how to get PR in New Zealand. We hope it answers all your queries regarding the same. Want to study in New Zealand? Get in touch with our study abroad experts at Leverage Edu who will help you select the best university and course for you. Sign up for a free session today!