新西兰毕业后工签、技能工作签证、技术移民有重大调整
今年11月新西兰移民局宣布对毕业后工签、技能工作签证和技术移民做出了重大调整。
移民局表示，为了确保国际学生在毕业后的移民路径与学习目的相符，同时减少移民剥削的可能性。毕业后工签(Post-Study Work Visa)的最新主要变化有：
- 取消雇主担保的毕业后工签类别(Employer-Assisted Post-Study work visa)；
- 本科或以上学历(>=Level 7)可以获得为期三年的毕业后工签；
- 就读Level 4至6学位或非文凭Level 7学位的，可以获得为期一年的毕业后工签；持研究生文凭并且专业需要在相关职业机构注册的，可以多获得一年工签；
- 就读上述Level 4至6学位或非文凭Level 7学位、但不在奥克兰的学生，可以有时效地获得两年毕业后工签。时效指学生必须在2021年底读完；
- 学习Level 8及以上学位的，只有当其专业在长期技能短缺名单上，才有资格为配偶申请开放工签。
此外，技术移民(Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa)和技能工作签证(Essential Skills Work Visa)的薪酬标准也再次提高。根据新西兰统计局最新工资数据，跟去年的标准相比，涨幅为2.9%。
技术移民申请的薪酬标准为：
- 技能级别为1至3级的职位，技术移民工资上涨到每小时25新西兰元，相当于年薪5.2万新西兰元；
- 技能级别为4至5级的职业，技术移民工资上涨到每小时37.5新西兰元，相当于年薪7.8万新西兰元；
- 如果想获得高薪人士的20加分，工资必须达到每小时50新西兰元，相当于年薪10.4万新西兰元(即国民收入中位数的两倍)。
技能工作签证申请的薪酬标准为：
- 技能级别为1至3级的职位，工资要达到每小时21.25新西兰元，才能办理Essential技能工作签证，对应年薪为44200新西兰元；
- 技能级别为4至5级的职业，工资要达到每小时37.5新西兰元，才能办理Essential 技能工作签证，对应年薪为78000新西兰元。
以上均假定每周工作40小时。可见政府正在逐步提高4至5级职业的申请难度。
事实上，在新政策中，37.5新西兰元的时薪已经成为判断高技术含量的一道坎。比如，哪怕工作职位不在ANZSCO技能级别名单上，如果时薪达到了37.5新西兰元和全职工作的要求，就算作高技能类别。
此外，移民局还做出了行政上的一些微调，包括：
- 除了北京办公室外，其他地方的申请缴费方式不得为现金；
- 在允许MasterCard和Visa信用卡支付外，新增银联信用卡支付方式；
- 允许部分申请人免交申请费。
Changes to post-study work rights for international students come into effect on 26 November 2018Friday, 9 November 2018
On 8 August 2018, the government announced changes to the Post-study work visa policy to ensure that post-study pathways for international students are fit for purpose and provide the skills and qualifications New Zealand needs. These changes will come into effect on 26 November 2018.
The changes will:
- remove the employer-assisted post-study work visas at all levels
- provide a 1-year Post-study open work visa for students studying Level 4 to 6 and non-degree Level 7 qualifications, with an additional year for Graduate Diploma graduates who are working towards registration with a professional or trade body
- provide a 2-year Post-study open work visa for students studying Level 4 to 6 and non-degree Level 7 qualifications outside Auckland, provided study is completed by December 2021, at which point the entitlement for post-study work rights reverts to a 1-year Post-study open work visa
- provide a 3-year Post-study open work visa for degree Level 7 or above qualifications
- require international students studying Level 8 qualifications to be in an area specified on the Long Term Skill Shortage list in order for their partner to be eligible for an open work visa.
Skilled Migrant and Essential Skills visas — changes to remuneration thresholdsFriday, 9 November 2018
Remuneration thresholds in Skilled Migrant and Essential Skills policies will be increasing on 26 November 2018.
The Essential Skills work visa and Skilled Migrant Category resident visa remuneration thresholds have been updated as part of our annual review. The new thresholds are based on the New Zealand median salary and wage rate of $25 per hour (up 2.9% from last year), equivalent to $52,000 per annum for a 40-hour per week job.
Hourly rates from 26 November 2018
From 26 November 2018, we are making changes to what an applicant in the Skilled Migrant Category must earn.
| Threshold |
Between 15 January 2018 and 25 November 2018 |
From 26 November 2018 |
| Threshold for skilled employment in an occupation at ANZSCO 1-3 |
$24.29 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary) |
$25.00 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary) |
| Threshold for skilled employment in an occupation at ANZSCO 4-5, or which is not included in ANZSCO |
$36.44 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary) |
$37.50 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary) |
| Threshold to earn bonus points |
$48.58 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary) |
$50.00 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary) |
After 26 November 2018, we are making changes to what an applicant in the Essential Skills work visa category must earn.
| Threshold |
Between 15 January 2018 and 25 November 2018 |
From 26 November 2018 |
| Threshold for mid-skilled employment in an occupation at ANZSCO 1-3 |
$20.65 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary) |
$21.25 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary) |
| Threshold for higher-skilled employment in any occupation (including those at ANZSCO 4-5) |
$36.44 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary) |
$37.50 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary) |
| Threshold for lower-skilled employment (for all ANZSCO levels) |
$20.64 per hour or below (or the equivalent annual salary) |
$21.24 per hour or below (or the equivalent annual salary) |
| Threshold for lower-skilled employment in an occupation at ANZSCO 4-5 |
$36.43 per hour or below (or the equivalent annual salary) |
$37.49 per hour or below (or the equivalent annual salary) |
What if I am a current Essential Skills work visa holder and my job does not meet the new threshold? What if I’m an employer and one of my staff hold a current visa but their wage does not meet the new threshold?
Visas that people already hold will not be affected. Changes to the income thresholds will not affect the duration or conditions of visas that have already been granted.
If you apply for, or have applied for, an Essential Skills work visa and your application was received by INZ before 26 November 2018, the old thresholds will be used to assess your application and determine your visa application. Only new applications made on or after 26 November 2018 will be assessed against the new threshold.
This may mean the conditions or visa duration of the next visa could be different. For example, a chef paid $21 an hour would currently be considered mid-skilled, as the occupation is ANZSCO level 2 and the pay is above the existing threshold of $20.65. However if they applied for a further visa after 26 November they would be considered low skilled, unless their pay increased to above the new threshold of $21.25.
If I am an employer who has already advertised and prepared to support an Essential Skills work visa, but the person cannot get his application in before 26 November 2018, what happens then?
If an application is received and accepted after 26 November 2018, the new thresholds will apply, even if, for example, the employment agreement has been signed prior to 26 November 2018.
What happens if I was invited to apply for the Skilled Migrant Category under the old thresholds?
We will assess your application against the thresholds in place on the date your expression of interest (EOI) was selected from the Pool, if that selection results in an invitation to apply. For example, if your EOI was selected on 21 November and you were invited to apply before 30 November, the old remuneration thresholds will apply, even though you weren’t invited to apply until after the new thresholds were introduced.
