Immigration New Zealand (INZ) encourages people who are eligible to apply for the 2021 Resident Visa until its closure of it. The 2021 Resident Visa category will close at 11:59 pm on 31 July 2022. 

Around 165,000 New Zealand immigrants, together with their overseas family members, would benefit from the 2021 Resident Visa announced by Immigration New Zealand. Since the one-time streamlined road to residency started on 1st December 2021, INZ has received more than 100,000 applications.

More than 8,000 educators and over 9,000 people working in the primary sector will be eligible for this innovative visa program. About 15,000 construction workers and 12,000 manufacturing employees are currently on relevant visa categories; some may qualify for the one-time approach.

Nicola Hogg's Statements Regarding 2021 Resident Visa

Nicola Hogg, General Manager of Visa Services, says; “We've doubled the number of persons who were given residency in the previous 18 months. This is a great success because it ensures those people can remain in New Zealand permanently and offers businesses confidence that their employees have the skills they'll need to survive the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Applicants utilizing the updated Immigration Online System should double-check that they have supplied the required documentation to ensure their applications may be processed as quickly as possible. Nicola Hogg recommends applying for your 2021 Resident Visa before the category expires on 31 July 2022.

Eligibility Criteria for 2021 Resident Visa

You may qualify for a 2021 Resident Visa if you satisfy these requirements: you were in the country (New Zealand) on 29 September 2021. And one should have applied for a valid New Zealand Visa from one of the following categories:

• Work Visa for People with Essential Skills.
• Post-Education Work Visa.
• Employment to Permanent Residency (Accredited Employer) Visa.
• Work Visa for the Long-Term Skill Shortage List.
• Protection from Migrant Exploitation Work Visa.
• Work Visa for South Island Contributions.
• Work Visas are issued according to Section 61 visa.
• Several Important Visitor Visas: Key health personnel for long-term assignments (six months or more) and other critical personnel for long-term assignments (six months or more).

You must also meet one of the three additional requirements for a 2021 Residence Visa.

• You must have spent at least three years in New Zealand.
• Second, you make at least $27.00 per hour, the median pay in NZ.
• Your position on September 29 is on the Scarce Job Lists of Immigration New Zealand.

2021 Resident Visa New Zealand Process

The process for applying for a 2021 Resident Visa has been boosted so that applications can be dealt with as soon as possible. The Minister has promised to decide on 80% of these applications within a year.

As is the case with the existing procedure, applicants will need to pass a series of security and police background checks and a medical examination before they can be considered for permanent residency.

Checklist 2021 Residence Visa New Zealand

• The first part of the application process for the 2021 Resident Visa will begin on 1 December 2021, and the second phase will begin on 1 March 2022.
• The closing date for this section is 31 July 2022.
• Visitors, students, workers on working holidays, Seasonal Service Employees (SSE), and seasonal workers for Recognized Seasonal Employers (RSE) are not eligible for this route.
• You won't have to prove English proficiency in this category.