New Zealand – the world’s most peaceful country.

12 June 2010

For the second year in a row, New Zealand has been listed by the “Global Peace Index” as the most peaceful country in the world. According to the index, researched by the Economist Intelligence Unit, New Zealand ranks above all the other 148 countries that it studied.

The index examines various social & economic factors from the crime rate to defence spending, armed conflicts and respect for human rights. New Zealand was followed by Iceland, Japan and Austria, with Australia 19th, United Kingdom 31st and USA 85th.

New Zealand’s high standing has been maintained despite the effects of the global recession which has resulted in an increase in social tension and conflict in other parts of the world.

New Zealand Unemployment Rate Falls More Than Expected

20 May 2010

The New Zealand Department of Labour has announced that the unemployment rate has fallen in the March 2010 quarter from 7.1% to 6.0%. This is the largest quarterly fall since the Household Labour Market Survey began in 1986.
The New Zealand economy has been producing positive growth for a year now, and this quarterly rise bucks the usual downward seasonal trend. What’s more, the growth appears to be export-led, backed by the strong performance of New Zealand’s key trading partners in Australia and Asia. Export commodity prices are at all-time highs, even when converted back into New Zealand dollars, and the country has just recorded the first quarterly trade surplus for eight years.
New Zealand’s manufacturing industry is expanding again after two bad years, aided by the most favourable exchange rate with Australia in nearly 10 years. Meanwhile households' financial position has largely recovered from the devastation of the global financial crisis; their net wealth rose $47 billion last year, after falling $58 billion in 2008.
Although there is a good way to go, these positive results suggest that New Zealand is well-placed in the world economy to improve its levels of employment, income and overall quality of life.

For assistance with your New Zealand visa application, contact the Migration Bureau - and for a FREE "Quick Check" of your eligibility for permanent residency in New Zealand, click here.

NZIAA stresses the benefits of Licensed Immigration Advisers

4 May 2010

Immigrants to New Zealand are better protected than ever before. This is the finding of the Immigration Advisers Authority IAA), the body established to regulate the New Zealand immigration industry. From now on, anyone providing immigration advice, whether based in New Zealand or elsewhere, must be licensed by the IAA.

All Licensed Advisers must abide by the IAA’s Code of Conduct, which must be displayed in a prominent place at their offices.Registrar of Immigration Advisers, Barry Smedts said, “Immigration adviser applicants must complete a rigorous, evidence-based assessment process to meet the standard required of a licensed adviser. The assessment is based on their relevant qualifications; knowledge of immigration advisers licensing scheme; knowledge of immigration law and policy in New Zealand; ability to lodge applications and appeals; English language proficiency; professional, ethical and responsible business practices; and maintenance of professional development activities.

Mr Smedts continued, “One of the primary motivators for introducing a mandatory licensing regime in New Zealand was to promote and protect the interests of migrants to New Zealand and to ensure they have confidence in the standard of immigration advice they receive. We are already starting to see the benefits of licensing. Migrants can have confidence in their licensed advisers, knowing there is the opportunity for redress if problems arise, and we see an increased level of interest in professional up-skilling from licensed advisers,”

“Immigration New Zealand no longer accepts applications from advisers unless they are licensed or exempt. This has been the message that we have given offshore advisers from the beginning of our communication with them.

The Migration Bureau has a team of highly experienced, NZ IAA-Licensed Immigration Advisers and has been an established member of the New Zealand immigration industry. For details of our official licencees, please click here.

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New Business Migration Laws Spark Great Interest in New Zealand Residency

17/11/09

Immigration New Zealand reports that there has been a large increase in the number of Expressions of Interest from overseas business people and investors following the introduction earlier this year of more business-friendly immigration policies.

In particular, there has been considerable interest shown in the new “Entrepreneur Plus” visa category which comes into effect on 30 November, under which entrepreneurs can obtain New Zealand residency much more quickly than before, as long as their operations create at least three full-time jobs and at least $500,000 of new investment. Previously there was a two year wait before such entrepreneurs could obtain residency.

Immigration New Zealand says that amongst those who had registered on their websites, most interest had come from the United States, Britain, India, the Philippines and Ireland.  Property development, education, training and tourism were among the most popular areas for potential investment, with 189 applicants looking to invest NZ$1.5 million or more - a total potential investment of at least $283 million.

Source: New Zealand Herald

For more information on gaining FAST TRACK permanent residency, please contact one of our Client Services Agents by clicking here.
To take a FREE eligibility assessment to evaluate your immigration possibilities, please click here.

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New Zealand Introduces New Retirement Visa Categories

12/03/10

The New Zealand Minister of Immigration, Mr Jonathan Coleman, has announced two new Retirement Visa categories: the Temporary Retirement Category and the Parent Retirement Category, both aimed at increasing investment and stimulating the New Zealand economy.  These policies will come into effect on 29 March 2010.

Temporary Retirement Category
This is an extension of the visitor’s policy designed for people who wish to stay in New Zealand longer than the 12 month period which the current visitor’s visa allows.  Applicants under this visa will be issued with a 2 year multiple entry visitor’s visa which allows for travel in and out of New Zealand.  Please be aware that is only a temporary visa, and at the end of the 2 year period, applicants must leave New Zealand or re-apply for a further visa under this category, subject to meeting the requirement of this visa.
To be successful under this category, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be aged 66 or over; and
• Be able to nominate funds and or assets to  the amount of NZ$0.75 million and undertake to invest that money in New Zealand for a period of two years; and
• Be able to evidence that they own the funds and or assets and that they have been legally earned or acquired; and
• Be able to transfer and invest the said fund in an acceptable investment in New Zealand; and
• Be able to nominate funds of NZ$0.5 million of maintenance funds and demonstrate ownership of these funds; and
• Have an annual income of at least NZ$60,000.

In this category, the applicant may include his/her partner but dependent children cannot be included in the application.  Both the principal applicant and partner must also meet the health and character requirements and hold and maintain comprehensive travel and or health insurance for the two year duration. Should you be successful in your application, you will need to transfer and invest your funds in New Zealand within 3 months of your approval in principle.  If you fail to do so your application will be declined.

Parent Retirement Category
The main objective of this visa category is to provide residence to those already with family ties in New Zealand and who wish to make a contribution to New Zealand’s economy.  The Parent Retirement Category is an extension of the existing Family Category – Parent Class visa.  The introduction of this new category is to prioritise high net worth individuals who are already looking into migrating under the Family Category – Parent Class.  Currently the Family Parent Category is capped and has a lengthy processing time frame of approximately 2 years.  Applications under the new Parent Retirement Category will be prioritised and processed quicker.
To be successful under this category, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Have an adult child who lives in New Zealand and is either a new Zealand citizen or resident; and
• Be able to meet the ‘centre of gravity’ test under the Family Parent Policy; and
• Be able to nominate funds and or assets to  the amount of NZ$1 million and undertake to invest that money in New Zealand for a period of four years; and
• Be able to evidence that they own the funds and or assets and that they have been legally earned or acquired; and
• Be able to transfer and invest the said fund in an acceptable investment in New Zealand; and
• Be able to nominate funds of NZ$0.5 million of settlement funds and demonstrate ownership of these funds; and
• Have an annual income of at least NZ$60,000.

In this category, the applicant may include his/her partner and dependent children in the application.  The principal applicant, partner and dependents must also meet the health and character requirements. Should you be successful in your application, you will need to transfer and invest your funds in New Zealand within 12 months of your approval in principle.  If you fail to do so your application will be declined.

For a FREE initial test to see if you qualify for immigration to New Zealand under these or other visa categories, please take one of our Quick Check Eligibility Assessments. Click here

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New Zealand Opens For Business

29/09/09
Easier Immigration for Business Migrants

The New Zealand Government has recently introduced an improved business migration scheme, aiming to make New Zealand more attractive for investors and entrepreneurs.

Immigration Minister, Dr Jonathan Coleman said that the new Migrant Investment Policy would involve more realistic requirements for capital, language skills and time spent in New Zealand annually, as well as greater flexibility in terms of investment vehicles.

There will be two categories –

Investor: For those investing at least $1.5 million in New Zealand for four years. Applicants must be 65 years or younger, with at least $1 million in settlement funds and 3 year’s business experience. (Plus specific English language and annual stay requirements).

Investor Plus: For those investing at least $10 million in New Zealand for three years. The age and English language requirements are relaxed for this category.

All applicants under both categories must meet health and character requirements. The main advantage of this visa stream is that there is no requirement to actively own or operate a business in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Government is also looking to introduce a new Entrepreneur Plus category which will offer a faster path to residency for applicants who create at least three full-time jobs for New Zealanders and invest at least $500,000 in their business.

“The new policy offers improved opportunities for business migrants to New Zealand," said Grant King, Director of the Migration Bureau. "Prospective investors and entrepreneurs should apply now to ensure visa success while these favourable conditions exist."

For a FREE eligibility assessment, please click here.

For further details about this news item, please contact us by clicking here.

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Migration Bureau & Visa Centre staff secure New Zealand IAA Licensing

Visa Applicants must use an IAA Licensed Immigration Adviser from 4 May 2009.

The New Zealand immigration industry has welcomed the introduction of the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007 passed by the New Zealand Government which requires anyone providing New Zealand immigration advice to be licensed by May 4, 2009. This ensures that all immigration advisors meet competency standards and adhere to a code of conduct. The new licensing system serves to protect both visa applicants and existing professional New Zealand immigration consultants from un-regulated operators. Furthermore, it establishes a strong platform for Immigration New Zealand (INZ – New Zealand Government immigration authority) to work in a clear and positive way with licensed immigration advisers.

All residence visa applicants from May 4 2009 must use an IAA Immigration Adviser or New Zealand lawyer when seeking professional help with their residence visa applications.

The Migration Bureau and Visa Centre are delighted to announce that staff member, Mr Anka Sahin (Licence number 200800332) has recently been granted a licence to practice by the New Zealand Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA).

In addition, Anka is the first person in the immigration industry to be both an IAA Licensed Immigration Adviser (New Zealand) and also a MARA Registered Migration Agent (Australia). This means that both the Migration Bureau and Visa Centre can offer the highest level of official recognition possible to their respective clients.

Following confirmation from the IAA that Anka Sahin has been granted a licence to practice, Grant King, Director of the Migration Bureau and Visa Centre said, “To our knowledge, this makes the Migration Bureau and Visa Centre the only companies in the world at this time with a team of agents who are registered with all four official immigration registration bodies: MARA (Australia), IAA (New Zealand), CSIC (Canada) and OISC (UK). This is the highest level of official recognition possible. It is a significant achievement and re-confirms the company's position as a market leader.”

For more information please visit http://www.migrationbureau.com/regulatory.php.

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Residency Applications: High Failure Rate reported. Up to 50% FAIL.....

Industry feedback has indicated that an estimated 30% of applicants under some visa classes who lodge their application online and directly with the immigration authorities get it WRONG AND FAIL because they did not use a registered migration agent to compile and double check their application and immigration eligibility first.
 
It is estimated that a further 20% of applicants who do not use an agent become confused and frustrated with the application process and find it difficult or impossible to get answers to their specific concerns or questions from the immigration authorities. As a result, they unnecessarily drop out of the application process.
 
Overall, this equates to an estimated up to 50% FAILURE RATE for "do-it-yourself" applicants applying directly to the immigration authorities under some visa classes.
 
This compares with a SUCCESS RATE OF 98.5% for applicants that apply through officially-recognised migration agencies such as the Migration Bureau.
 
Grant King of the Migration Bureau, one of the largest international immigration agencies, commented that "We believe this failure and drop out rate is unacceptably high. Every day we receive many concerning phone calls from applicants who have tried to apply online or directly with the immigration authorities and have got it wrong. Many fail outright. They are generally very stressed and are frustrated by the delays and problems that this causes, not to mention left out of pocket.  We are able to assist at this late stage, but it is more difficult and time-consuming to correct an incomplete or incorrect application. Additionally, it is difficult to go back to re-lodge or change an application after an original submission has already been made to the authorities. It is also more expensive".
 
"We want to protect applicants from these risks and ensure that applicants secure the right of residence that they are entitled to in the quickest possible time. To do so, the key is for new settlers to use an officially -recognised agent BEFORE applying and to instruct the agent to compile, double-check and lodge your online or physical residence visa application on your behalf - this will avoid unnecessary delays and risk, and means that you will receive your visas as soon as possible, and not be one of the thousands of applicants who are unnecessarily refused every year. So the moral of the story is to get it right the first time" said Mr King.
 
For a FREE assessment of your eligibility to lodge a residence visa application, please Click here.

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More Migrants now Using Agents

It now seems a growing number of migrants to New Zealand are using agents compared to last year’s figures according to the latest Destination New Zealand reader survey. 47.1% of readers now say they are using an immigration consultant for their applications.

The Destination New Zealand reader survey looked at various issues of the immigration process including demographics, family factors, motivations and the immigration process. Other significant trends for New Zealand include longer decision time for deciding what city to live in and employment being high motivation for regional choice in addition to being the greatest emigration fear.

Most respondents indicated that the WAITING was the most difficult part of the process.  Therefore, there is a strong case for using an immigration consultant, who can help the applicant AVOID DELAYS and assist with QUICKER PROCESSING by presenting a 100% correct and complete application.

Secondly, the application process and preparing paperwork was also perceived to be a difficult part of the process. Again, there is a strong case for IMMIGRATION CONSULTANTS who can make the application process smoother and clearer and provide personalised assistance and representation in this bureaucratic process.

Are you eligible to emigrate?  Find out now.  Click here for a FREE initial eligibility assessment provided by the Migration Bureau (officially recognised immigration and visa consultants).  For information on the Migration Bureau Click here.

Source: Destination New Zealand January 07, Outbound Publishing

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New Zealand Pass Mark Watch - current points tested visa threshold

Applying under the Skilled Migrant has always been the most popular visa class for permanent residency in New Zealand. For you to migrate under the Skilled Migrant Category you will have to meet certain conditions and meet the points threshold.

If you would like to find out the current threshold and more about points information please click here.

If you would like to know if you meet these pass marks, we will work it out for you for FREE.  Click here to complete a free initial eligibility assessment provided by the Migration Bureau (officially recognised immigration and visa consultants). 

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Which Occupations are in Demand?

Applying under skill categories has always been the most popular visa class for permanent residency in New Zealand.

Points are awarded for an offer of employment in New Zealand, work experience, qualifications and age. Bonus points are available for employment in areas of identified future growth, cluster or absolute skill shortages. Bonus points are also available for employment outside Auckland and for New Zealand qualifications.

The key to success under this class is meeting the prerequisites as outlined above AND arranging a relevant, valid skilled job offer in New Zealand.

If you are interested in migrating as a skilled migrant and you would like to find out if your occupation is listed on the New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations list (NZSCO) as a skilled occupation please click here.

Are you eligible to emigrate?  Find out now.  Click here for a FREE initial eligibility assessment provided by the Migration Bureau (officially recognised immigration and visa consultants).  For information on the Migration Bureau Click here.


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