Greatlife Immigration Services Ltd

12/07/2026

18/06/2026

Immigration released the latest update about the residence additions. NOTE: Advisers are attending a webinar on 23 June to listen to how the policy will be interpreted. Further details will then be available.
If you need to be placed on our email notification, please email me your name and email address to [email protected]

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Final details confirmed for Skilled Migrant Category changes
Final details on changes to the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa have been released, which come into effect on 24 August 2026.

The SMC changes introduce 2 new pathways – the Skilled Work Experience pathway and the Trades and Technician pathway. There are also increased points for New Zealand qualifications and reduced New Zealand skilled work experience required under the Points-based pathway.

Final details include:

clarifying how wage thresholds are applied
updating evidential requirements for qualifications
removing the 120 credit requirement for Trades and Technician pathway qualifications gained overseas
confirming that Trades and Technician pathway qualifications from New Zealand must have at least 120 credits, which can be made up of more than 1 qualification (where lower qualifications are a prerequisite for higher)
clarifying that self-employment cannot be counted as directly relevant work experience under the 2 new pathways
strengthening settings that support genuine skilled employment.
Wage settings simplified for Work to Residence pathways
Changes are also being made to the Work to Residence Visa pathways in August to align with the updated SMC wage settings.

Applicants will not be required to meet a higher wage threshold if the rate has increased since they started counting their work experience.

These changes apply to the Tier 2 Green List, Care Workforce, and Transport Work to Residence Visa pathways. The change simplifies the process and makes it clearer for applicants.

Jan Barnard: Licensed adviser 201000222
[email protected]

24/05/2026

WORK VISA APPLICANTS TO PROVIDE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTS.
In quite a major change, the Government is now requiring all new work visa applicants to take English language tests prior to submitting work visa applications.
This will be a major blow for Filipino, Sri Lankan, and other country workers who did not receive an English education in school.

IMMIGRATION ANNOUNCEMENT
From 1 June 2026, Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) minimum English language requirements will apply to ANZSCO and NOL skill level 3 occupations.

Currently, people applying for an AEWV at ANZSCO or NOL (National Occupation List) skill level 4 or 5 must show they can speak and understand English. They can meet this requirement through their English ability from citizenship, working and studying or by taking an English language test.

English language requirements for an Accredited Employer Work Visa

From 1 June 2026 people applying for an AEWV at ANZSCO or NOL skill 3 will also need to meet this requirement.

Extending English language requirements supports better integration, helps migrants understand their rights and obligations, and raise concerns about non-compliant employers.

The requirement does not apply to Job Change applications.

People already on an AEWV that expires on or before 1 December 2026 who want to apply for a new AEWV will not have to meet the new requirements.

Transitional arrangements for people who already have an AEWV
No one with a current AEWV will be affected retrospectively while their visa is valid.

To ensure fairness and continuity, the following targeted transitional arrangements will apply:

People with an AEWV whose visas expire on or before 1 December 2026 will be exempt from the new English language requirement when applying for a further AEWV at skill level 3.
People on an AEWV who have already provided evidence that they can speak and understand English as part of a previous AEWV application will also be exempt.

For migrants, the change does not affect existing visas, employment, or current lengths of stay. The transitional arrangements are designed to ensure people already contributing to New Zealand’s workforce are treated fairly and given enough warning to arrange and sit a test and obtain the report before their visas expire. It also sets clear expectations for future applicants, noting that not all individuals will be covered by an exemption.

For employers, the change provides greater consistency and clarity across skill levels and allows forward planning when recruiting into skill level 3 roles from 1 June 2026.

Migrants who apply for an AEWV at skill level 3 from 1 June onwards will need to meet the new English language requirements, even if their employer received a job check token before 1 June 2026.

Contact our licensed advisers for any visa requirements.
Jan Barnard and Monique Calitz.
[email protected]

22/05/2026

RESIDENCE IN NEW ZEALAND

Proposed changes
Residence criteria currently include the Greenlist and the skilled migrant 6-point category.

Immigration New Zealand has announced major proposed changes to the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa system, expected to take effect from late August 2026. The proposed changes introduce new residence pathways based on occupation, salary, work experience, and salary.

Below is an overview of the proposed changes.
The Government is proposing 2 new residence
pathways
Trades and Technician Pathway
Skilled Work Experience Pathway
Different occupations will fall under different rules and requirements.
TRADES AND TECHNICIAN PATHWAY
Workers in approved trades and technician occupations may qualify for residence if they meet ALL of the following requirements:
• Work in an approved Trades and Technician occupation
• Hold a relevant Level 4 qualification or higher
• Have at least 4 years of directly relevant work experience after qualification
• Have at least 1.5 years of skilled work experience in New Zealand
• Be paid at least the SMC median wage during the required New Zealand work experience period
Current proposed wage threshold:
Approximately $38.50 per hour.
Examples of occupations currently included under this pathway include: NOTE: I only named the most common occupations
• Roof Tiler
• Glazier
• Mechanical and Engineering Trades
• Diesel Motor Mechanic
• Motor Mechanic
• Motorcycle Mechanic
• Automotive Electrician
• Lift Mechanic
• Fitter
• Fitter and Turner
• Fitter-Welder
• Metal and Welding Trades
• Welder
• Metal Fabricator
• Metal Machinist
• Sheetmetal Trades Worker
• Metal Casting Trades Worker
This is not the full list.

SKILLED WORK EXPERIENCE PATHWAY
Applicants who are not eligible under the Trades and Technician pathway may still qualify under the Skilled Work Experience pathway.
Proposed requirements include:• Employment in a skilled occupation (ANZSCO Skill Level 1–3)
• At least 5 years of directly relevant work experience
• At least 2 years of skilled work experience in New Zealand
• Paid at least 1.1 times the SMC median wage
The proposed wage threshold is currently $38.50 per hour.

AMBER LIST OCCUPATIONS
Some occupations have been placed on an “AmberList”.

Workers in these occupations may still qualifyfor residence, but stricter rules apply.

Proposed requirements include:
• At least 5 years of relevant skilled workexperience in New Zealand
• At least 2 years earning 1.2 times the SMC median wage. Approximately $42.00 per hour

Examples of Amber List occupations include:

• Accommodation and Hospitality Manager
• Hotel or Motel Managers
• Hotel Service Manager
• Bed and Breakfast Operator
• Caravan Park and Camping Ground ManagerFood Service
• Chef
• Baker
• Pastrycook
• Café or Restaurant ManagerManagement and Administration
• Customer Service Manager
• Office ManagerICT Roles
• ICT Customer Support Officer
• ICT Support Technician
• Web Administrator

Applicants in Amber List occupations may also still qualify under the existing Skilled Migrant Category 6-point system ifthey meet higher income, qualification, or registration requirements.

RED LIST OCCUPATIONS

Some occupations have been placed on a “RedList”.
These occupations are not eligible for the new residence pathways and must apply under the existing Skilled Migrant Category6-point system.

Examples include:• Retail Manager
• Hospitality, Retail and Service Manager NEC
• Hairdresser
• Beauty Therapist
• Massage Therapist
• Hair and Beauty Salon Manager

Applicants in these occupations generally need one of the following
:• Income at least 1.5 times the median wage
• A recognised Bachelor qualification or higher
• Recognised occupational registration
IMPORTANT WAGE RULE CHANGES
Immigration New Zealand has also proposed important wage assessment changes.

Under the new rules:
• Applicants only need to meet the wage threshold that applied when they started gaining skilled work experience
• Applicants will not need to meet future increased median wage thresholds later when applying for residence
• A 5-month grace period may apply if the wage threshold increases after a workvisa is granted
This may help protect applicants from future median wage increases.

Based on the proposed August 2026 SMC settings:
• Estimated SMC median wage: approximately $35.00 per hour
• 1.2 times the median wage: approximately $42.00per hour

Further details regarding eligibility and application procedures will be released later.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The proposed occupation lists and requirementsmay still change before implementation

NEED ADVICE?
If you would like us to assess youreligibility for residence under the proposed new rules, please contact our office for professional advice and assistance. Jan Barnard and Monique Calitz, Licensed Advisers.
[email protected]

08/04/2026

JOB SEEKERS! From one of our recruiters. Heavy Fabricators / Boilermakers – New Zealand Opportunity
Relocate to New Zealand | Long-Term Career | Stable Work / Taranaki
Are you a skilled Boilermaker / Heavy Fabricator looking for a long-term opportunity?
We are working with a well-established New Zealand engineering company that is expanding its workshop operations and is actively seeking high-quality tradesmen with strong fabrication backgrounds.
This is a career move, not a short-term contract.
We are hiring 10 Boilermakers / Fabricators over the next 6 months.
Why New Zealand?
Stable, long-term employment (not shutdown-based work)
Safe, family-friendly lifestyle
Strong demand for skilled trades
Clear pathway to residency (for the right candidates)
The Role
You will be working in a modern workshop environment, focusing on heavy fabrication projects, including:
Pressure vessels
Structural steel
Tanks and piping systems
Stainless and carbon steel fabrication
What We’re Looking For
Qualified Boilermaker / Fabricator
Proven experience in:
Heavy fabrication (oil & gas, petrochemical, structural)
Reading and interpreting engineering drawings
Strong welding ability (MIG / TIG / Stick)
Good English communication skills
Ability to work independently and within a team
Highly regarded:
Experience in pressure vessels or coded work
Leadership experience (leading hand/supervisor potential)

What’s On Offer
Starting from NZD $39+ per hour
Skill-based pay increases
Overtime opportunities
Long-term, secure workload
Employer support with visa process (AEWV)
What Makes This Different
Workshop-based (no FIFO lifestyle)
Consistent hours and income
Opportunity to grow into leadership roles
Work with a company investing in expansion and people
Who This Suits
Fabricators currently in oil & gas / heavy industry
Tradesmen wanting to relocate with family
Skilled workers looking for stability over contract work
Professionals ready for a long-term move
Next Steps
If you are serious about relocating to New Zealand and building a long-term future:
Send your CV and project experience for consideration.
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. Send your CV's to me for perusal and verification. Email our team at: [email protected]

05/03/2026

The Government has announced more details about the changes to the residence category, which is more favourable to a lot of work visa holders who do not currently meet residence requirements.
Note; it is quite involved and will need carefull assessment and evaluation of current visa holders situation. Feel free to email me your name and occupation, and I'll provide further details.
Further detail on Skilled Migrant Category changes released
Last year, the Government announced changes to the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) to introduce 2 new pathways – the Skilled Work Experience Pathway and the Trades and Technician Pathway – increased points for New Zealand qualifications, and reduced New Zealand skilled work experience required under the Points-based pathway. These changes will come into effect in late August 2026.

Further details about these changes have been released today, including 3 important lists:

The Trades and Technician Pathway list – Migrants working in these occupations qualify for this pathway if they have a relevant Level 4 or above qualification, and 4 years of directly relevant skilled work experience gained post-qualification, including 1.5 years in New Zealand at the SMC median wage.

The Amber list – Migrants working in these occupations are not eligible for the Trades and Technician Pathway and can only apply for the Skilled Work Experience Pathway if they have at least 5 years of relevant work experience in New Zealand, including 2 years of skilled work experience earning at least 1.2 times the SMC median wage.

The Red list – Migrants working in these occupations cannot use these new pathways. They will only be able to apply for residence under the SMC if they can claim 6 points under the existing pathway. This may be achieved by earning at least 1.5 times the SMC median wage, holding a bachelor’s Level 7 qualification or higher, or having a recognised occupational registration. They must also meet the required skilled work experience in New Zealand.
Changes have also been confirmed that will apply to all SMC pathways from late August 2026, including:

Median wage requirements simplified: Migrants applying based on their work experience will not need to meet the latest SMC median wage when they apply for residence. Instead, they must meet the SMC median wage rate (or the rate for their pathway) in effect at the time they began to gain their New Zealand skilled work experience.

Grace period for some median wage calculations: If a migrant begins skilled work experience within 5 months of their work visa being granted, the wage threshold that applied on the day the visa was granted will be used, even if the median wage has increased in the meantime.

Clarification of qualification requirements: Migrants claiming points for Level 8 or 9 qualifications must also hold a bachelor’s degree (which can be gained in any country). Applicants claiming 5 points for a New Zealand Level 9 master’s degree are exempted from this requirement (though must hold a bachelor’s degree if they are claiming 6 points for a New Zealand master’s degree).

Longer English test validity for some migrants: English language test results will be valid for 5 years for applicants who hold a valid occupational registration.

New occupational registration recognised: Qualified Statutory Accountants in New Zealand who have membership with the Certified Practising Accountants Australia will receive 6 points under the SMC.
From 2027, migrants who need up to 12 more months of skilled work experience can apply for a further Accredited Employer Work Visa to complete the skilled work experience they need to apply for residence.

Email Jan Barnard at [email protected]

28/02/2026

One of our recruiters have this vacancy. Email me if this fits your skills and experience. The employer is not poaying your migration costs, so make sure you have about $8000.00 available for everything if you apply.

I'm reaching out to my international network for experienced Hydraulic Technicians for an accredited employer.

You will need to have experience with either high pressure industrial or mobile hydraulics, manifolds, cylinders, rams, hose bending, fluid testing, etc. If you have only worked as a Mechanical Fitter, it is likely not suitable.

Email [email protected]

18/02/2026

Median wage and indexed thresholds to increase
On 9 March 2026, the immigration median wage will increase to NZ$35.00 per hour (up from NZ$33.56).

The median wage rate we use changes each year, meaning wage thresholds based on it also increase.

From March 2025, employers have only had to pay the market rate rather than the median wage under the AEWV.

However, some requirements continue to be linked to the median wage – including to determine eligibility for some visas, what migrant workers need to earn to gain work experience for skilled residence pathways, and whether they can bring family to New Zealand.

It can also affect how long migrants can stay in New Zealand and what Job Check advertising requirements apply to employers.

Employers must pay their migrant worker the relevant wage threshold in place when they start working on their visa. They do not need to provide pay increases for existing workers, unless they are changing visas.

Updates to sponsorship income thresholds for the Parent Category and Parent Boost Visitor Visa will be communicated separately and take effect later in 2026.

Employers must pay the minimum salary requirements at the time their visa holders are granted their visas. For AEWVs, there is no requirement to continually meet new median wages for existing visa holders.

While new AEWV roles now need to be paid at the market rate, the median wage is still used to set several other visa pay thresholds.

This increase will affect:

Skilled residence applications

Green List roles with pay requirements set at e.g. 115%, 150% or 200% of the median wage
Job Checks where paying 200% of the median wage provides an exemption from advertising
Pay thresholds required to support partner and dependent child visas

How this impacts each person may be different, even if they are in the same role. We can undertake individual assessments to advise.

E.g. Certain residence pathways require the visa holder to be on specific pay for a period of time, and if they are not yet on that pay threshold they will need to be on a higher pay from 9 March 2026.

Applications submitted before 9 March 2026 will be assessed under the current income criteria.

Workers who are considering applying for residence are welcome to contact us advisers for an assessment and to complete the residence application. Email., [email protected]

17/02/2026

OFFICIAL NOTICE – RESIDENCE APPEAL SUCCESSFUL
We are pleased to confirm a successful outcome in a recent Residence Appeal before the Immigration and Protection Tribunal under section 188(1)(e) of the Immigration Act 2009.
The appeal concerned a 21-year-old applicant whose residence application under the Family (Dependent Child) category had been declined by Immigration New Zealand on health grounds, including a finding that the applicant did not meet the acceptable standard of health requirements and was not eligible for a medical waiver.
After careful consideration, the Tribunal determined that Immigration New Zealand’s assessment was incorrect in terms of the applicable residence instructions.
The Tribunal:
• Found that the health assessment applied by Immigration New Zealand was not correctly determined;
• Cancelled the decision to decline the residence application; and
• Referred the application back to Immigration New Zealand for reassessment by a new officer in accordance with the correct legal framework and directions issued by the Tribunal.
This outcome highlights the importance of rigorous legal analysis, proper interpretation of immigration instructions, and the effective presentation of medical and evidential material in appeal proceedings.
While a successful appeal does not automatically result in the grant of residence, the matter will now be reassessed on a correct legal basis.
For professional immigration advice or assistance with appeals, please contact our office directly at [email protected]

22/01/2026

STUDENT VISAS
There are two main categories: one being International students wanting to study at Universities and colleges, and the other being dependent children of mainly work visa holders.
Children may get student visas when they turn 5. If you have a child who is 3 months away from turning 5, could you let me know so that we can help with a student visa?
Dependent children who are in year 12 and 13 may apply for a variation of conditions for them to work 25 hours a week. Let me know if we can assist.
Children who have completed school cannot rely on their dependent student visa anymore, irrespective of that visa still valid past their school-going years. They must either leave NZ, or apply for a very short-term visitor visa, or apply for a student visa, and pay international fees. They cannot apply for work visas either, even as a cleaner, because Immigration has closed that avenue and now demands 2 years of experience for any work visa, or a level 4 NZQA qualification.
International students; please note: You must have the ongoing support funds of $20000 available per year when you apply for a student visa.
Here is news from INZ
Student visa peak processing underway
We are in a peak processing period for student visa applications, and have received a high volume of applications for study in 2026.

During peak periods, applications may take longer to process. It is important that anyone wanting to come to New Zealand to study applies at least 3 months before they plan to travel and includes all the evidence we need to make a decision.

Please ensure you submit full and complete applications, including:

a valid Offer of Place from a New Zealand education provider
evidence of money to live on that is from a genuine source and will be available to the student in New Zealand
health and character evidence
information about your client’s reasons for their study and plans for after their study.
We may decide an application based on the information provided, and not request further information.

Do not include ‘holding’ documents, such as a letter stating “the information will be uploaded later”, as the application may be declined.

Applying with a conditional Offer of Place
Applicants outside New Zealand can apply with a conditional Offer of Place if their provider needs to wait for the student’s academic results to confirm enrolment. This will allow us to begin assessing the application, and approve it in principle if other requirements are met. An unconditional Offer of Place will be required before we can grant a visa.

Late applications may not be processed in time
If your clients intend to study in early 2026 and you have not yet applied for their visa, or only applied recently, they should talk to their education provider about study options in case their application is not decided before their course starts.

If your client’s application has not been decided by their programme’s start date, the education provider can issue either a new Offer of Place for a later intake or a letter confirming new study start dates. You can upload this to their online application to prevent delays when the application is decided.

Information provided by licensed immigration adviser Jan barnard. Licence number 201000222. Greatlife Immigration Services Ltd
For assistance with your student visa, please email us at [email protected]