Begin Immigration Solutions

13/09/2026

Finally met in person after a whole year of supervision! 😄

Apparently, all those calls, messages, random questions, and policy debates have been worth it. Glad to hear I'm doing this supervision thing right! 😂

In all seriousness, it's always a privilege to mentor and support aspiring immigration professionals. Our industry grows stronger when experienced advisers take the time to guide the next generation, and Ericka has been a pleasure to work with throughout her provisional licensing journey.

Thank you for the kind words, Ericka. It was great catching up over dinner and finally putting a real-life meeting behind all those online conversations.

Keep shining and keep learning. The profession is in good hands. 👏

One year of having Kuya Jasper as my supervisor, and we finally met in person!

It was so nice to finally sit down, have dinner, and catch up after a year of calls, messages, and endless questions from me. 😂

He’s one of the people behind what I know today and one of the reasons I’ve come this far in my career. Really grateful for all the guidance and knowledge he’s shared with me along the way.

Nice finally meeting you in person, Kuys! 🙏🏽 I appreciate you, a lot.

12/09/2026

🎉 After the NZAIP and NZAMI Conferences, a student visa webinar, and sponsorships locked in, we still delivered what matters most.

✅ 16 visa approvals in two weeks ✨

Congratulations and thank you for trusting Begin Immigration!

📩 Contact us for a FREE, no-obligation assessment.

11/09/2026

🇳🇿 Key Insights from Today's NZAMI Conference

Today’s NZAMI Conference brought together immigration leaders and representatives from across the political spectrum, including Erica Stanford, Phil Twyford, Dr Parmjeet Parmar, Winston Peters, and Ricardo Menéndez March.

Our biggest takeaway?

👉 New Zealand's immigration settings are likely to remain relatively stable, regardless of which major party is in Government.
The real differences are around priorities, pathways, and how immigration should be managed.

🔵 National
Focus on attracting highly skilled migrants
Immigration aligned to labour market needs
Supporting business growth and productivity
Improvements to visa settings and workforce planning

🔴 Labour
Long-term immigration planning
Better migrant settlement support
Stronger links between immigration, housing, transport and infrastructure
Clearer pathways for migrants and their families

🟢 Ricardo Menéndez March (Green Party)
Greater focus on the humanitarian side of immigration
Better protections for migrant workers
Removing AEWV term limits
More certainty for temporary migrants

🟡 Winston Peters / NZ First
A significantly more restrictive approach, including:
A proposed 10-year welfare stand-down period for visa holders
Broader deportation criteria
International students needing to leave New Zealand before applying for another visa
Removal of student work rights
Removal of post-study work visa rights
Focus on bringing immigrants that New Zealand needs, rather than people who need New Zealand today

📉 The Demographic Reality
Regardless of political differences, there was broad recognition of New Zealand's demographic challenges:

📍 Fertility rate: 1.5 births per woman
📍 Net movement of NZ citizens: approximately -39,000

With fewer births and more New Zealanders leaving than returning, immigration will continue to play a critical role in addressing labour and skills shortages across many sectors.

✅ Immigration is not just an economic issue. It is increasingly a demographic necessity.

📊 Early Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Statistics
The new SMC settings are already generating significant interest.
Within the first two weeks:

✅ 1,500 applications received
✅ 473 applications allocated to case officers
✅ 95% submitted under the points-based pathway
✅ 34 applications already approved

These are encouraging signs for applicants and employers looking to use the revised system.

⚙️ Immigration New Zealand Priorities

It was also great to hear from Andy Milne, the new leader of Immigration New Zealand.
Current priorities include:
Improving operational efficiency
Strengthening operational performance
Developing future-focused immigration services
Modernising service delivery
Working more closely with industry stakeholders

Final Thought
Political parties may disagree on numbers, pathways and eligibility settings, but New Zealand faces a common challenge:

📉 Low birth rates
✈️ Ongoing loss of New Zealand citizens overseas
💼 Persistent skills shortages

For that reason, immigration will remain a key part of New Zealand's future workforce and economic strategy.

The debate is increasingly becoming how immigration should be managed, rather than whether New Zealand needs immigration at all.

A very informative day with plenty of insights for migrants, employers, immigration professionals and policymakers alike.

07/09/2026

🇵🇭✨ Begin Immigration is excited to support Pistang Pilipino sa Wellington 2026!!!

Wellington has been our home, our "tahanan" since 2013. It's where we built our family, grew our business, and found our community.

As a proudly Wellington-based business, we're grateful for the incredible support of our Filipino community in New Zealand's vibrant capital.

Maraming salamat mga kababayan! ❤️

🎉 Kita kita po tayo sa Pistang Pilipino sa Wellington 2026! 🇵🇭🇳🇿

04/09/2026

🇳🇿 Immigration and New Zealand's Future: More Common Ground Than You Might Think

Today, we had the opportunity to attend an NZAIP (New Zealand Association for Immigration Professionals) pre-election panel discussion featuring Phil Twyford (Labour), Cameron Brewer (National), and Ricardo Menéndez March (Green Party).

As immigration advisers, we often hear concerns from migrants and employers about what may happen to immigration settings after an election. One of the key takeaways from this discussion was that, despite their different political perspectives, all three parties recognised that immigration remains a vital part of New Zealand's future.

While each party had a different emphasis:

🔴 Labour highlighted the role of immigration in helping address New Zealand's ageing population and low birth rate.

🔵 National focused on the importance of attracting investors and ensuring employers can access the skilled workers they need to grow their businesses.

🟢 The Green Party emphasised the humanitarian side of immigration and the importance of supporting people seeking safety, opportunity, and a better future.

What was particularly interesting was the strong consensus around one point: immigration plays a critical role in addressing skill shortages and supporting New Zealand's economic growth.

For those who worry that a change in government could lead to dramatic shifts in immigration policy, history provides some reassurance. New Zealand's immigration framework has remained relatively stable across successive governments for decades. While policies evolve and priorities change, there is broad recognition across the political spectrum that immigration is essential to New Zealand's prosperity, workforce, and future development.

As licensed immigration advisers, it's encouraging to see constructive discussions about how immigration can continue to benefit migrants, employers, and New Zealand as a whole.

29/08/2026

✨16 approvals in the last 2 weeks! We never take your trust for granted. Thank you for 'beginning' your immigration journey with us! 🫡
🚀💛

09/08/2026

✨ BEGIN. BOLDER. BETTER.

A year ago, we chose to Begin.

Our foundation wasn’t built on good intentions alone. It was built on years of professional expertise.

Today, that foundation is stronger than ever, with new people, systems, and channels to better serve our clients and community.

🚀 We are officially joining forces!

Melissa Bata is stepping in as Director, Operations & Risk alongside Jasper Bata as our Managing Director and Licensed Immigration Adviser.

With 17 years' experience across leading New Zealand organisations, Melissa brings a strong focus on strategy, risk management, and operational excellence.

💡 What does this mean for you?

Better systems. Stronger support. The same immigration expertise, with exceptional value.

In the coming days, we will introduce improvements to make your immigration journey even easier:

✅ Free, no-obligation visa assessments at the click of a button
✅ A smoother client experience with our new document management system
✅ New digital channels, including TikTok and Instagram
✅ A refreshed website and upcoming community events in Auckland, Wellington, and the Philippines

🌐 Check our updated "About Us" at www.beginimmigration.co.nz

❤️ Thank you for beginning your New Zealand immigration journey with us.

07/08/2026

HOT OFF THE PRESS

🚨🎉 Parent Resident Visa just got better.

From November, EOIs will be selected by lodgement date, not a random ballot. No more reapplying. No more repeat fees every two years.

A welcome change for our clients and their families.

Source: Erica Stanford MP page

17/07/2026

We have been extremely busy all thanks to you🙌

This weekend, we continue to support one of our education partners, Prestige Visa, with an exclusive Residence Eligibility Seminar for their clients tomorrow.

Can't make it? No worries! You can still get a FREE Residence Eligibility Assessment. Send us a message and we'll be happy to help.

We are also brewing something exciting for you so watch this space! 👀

Enjoy the weekend from your Begin Immigration Team. 🌞

23/06/2026

📢 Key Updates from Today’s INZ Webinar – Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Changes

We attended the Immigration New Zealand (INZ) webinar today covering the upcoming SMC changes. A few important clarifications were confirmed:

✅ EOI Timing
Expressions of Interest (EOIs) under the new policy can only be submitted from 24 August 2026.
👉 EOIs cannot be prepared or submitted earlier.

✅ English Language Test Validity
English tests can now be valid for 5 years if previously used for certain occupational registrations recognised by INZ (e.g. Nurses, Teachers, Doctors).

✅ Bachelor Degree for Points
A supporting Bachelor’s degree:
• Does not need an NZQA IQA, and
• Does not need to be relevant to the Master’s degree
👉 Still eligible to support a 6-point claim.

✅ RPL Qualifications
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) qualifications are not accepted under the Trades and Technician pathway.

✅ Interim Visas
Applicants under the Trades and Technician and Skilled Work Experience pathways may be eligible for interim visas while their SMC application is in process.

✅ NOL Occupations
Occupations on the New Occupations List (NOL) (recently upgraded for AEWV) are not yet eligible under the current Skilled Residence pathways.

✅ Wage Threshold & Work Experience
For SMC, the wage threshold is based on when the applicant started claiming Skilled Work Experience.
👉 It is important to understand the detailed rules around how and when work experience can be counted.

📎 We will also share the official slides from INZ for your reference.

If you are planning to apply under SMC or want to assess your eligibility under the new settings, feel free to get in touch.