SMC applications backlog criterion confirmation and income threshold

mounir made this Official Information request to Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

The request was refused by Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.

From: mounir

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

As per the last criterion published in INZ website and confirmed under Ref: DOIA 1920-1738, the last information uptodate for the processing SMC backlog is the following

"For those applicants who have submitted a skilled residence application SMC) or RFW), priority is given
to applicants in New Zealand and where the:

• Application includes a job offer with and hourly rate equivalent to or higher than twice the median
wage (currently $51.00 per hour or an annual salary of $106,080 or more); or
• Application includes a job offer which requires occupational registration where occupational
registration is required by immigration instructions.
Second Priority will be given to residence class visa applications where the applicant is offshore."

1) It is unclear in the satement "applicants in New Zealand AND where...." if
- Onshore applications that are not meeting the threshold or registration will be processed BEFORE any Offshore application,
- or at the same time in a non priority queue,
or if Offshore applications are processed before the Onshore non priority queue.

2) The information provided for the ongoing staffing and onhand SMC backolg would allow that processing will be more or less 75% non prority queue and 25% for the priority queue.
Why is it that latest numbers and official stats seem to suggest that only 10 to 15% of the total applications processed are non priority queue?

3) Salary Threshold that should be met requires a job offer. A large number of applicants are offshore (20% of total) and some don't have a job offer. how do you apply the criteria for people who don't have a job offer? and if these people are under a long term shortage skills for a job that pays more than 106 K threshold (example; procurement manager, under LTSSL, paid 130 k$/ year on average but no job offer)?

4) LTSSL jobs are those where New Zealand need skilled people in the long term and where offers exceed the number of applicants, why isn't there any criteria to prioritise those applications both offshore and onshore to benefit New Zealand, as those people could be hired in other countries, or don't have an issue fiding a job elsewhere

Than you M. Minister for your implication in clearing this backlog and for your answers.

Yours faithfully,

Mounir

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From: Ministerial Services
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Ref: 2021-0137

 

Dear Mounir,

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 16 July 2020 requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

 

As per the last criterion published in INZ website and confirmed under
Ref: DOIA 1920-1738, the last information uptodate for the processing SMC
backlog is the following

 

"For those applicants who have submitted a skilled residence application
SMC) or RFW), priority is given to applicants in New Zealand and where
the:

 

• Application includes a job offer with and hourly rate equivalent to or
higher than twice the median wage (currently $51.00 per hour or an annual
salary of $106,080 or more); or • Application includes a job offer which
requires occupational registration where occupational registration is
required by immigration instructions.

Second Priority will be given to residence class visa applications where
the applicant is offshore."

 

1) It is unclear in the satement "applicants in New Zealand AND
where...."   if

- Onshore applications that are not meeting the threshold or registration
will be processed BEFORE any Offshore application,

- or at the same time in a non priority queue, or if Offshore applications
are processed before the Onshore non priority queue.

 

2) The information provided for the ongoing staffing and onhand SMC
backolg would allow that processing will be more or less 75%  non prority
queue and 25% for the priority queue.

Why is it that latest numbers and official stats seem to suggest that only
10 to 15% of the total applications processed are non priority queue?

 

3) Salary Threshold that should be met requires a job offer. A large
number of applicants are offshore (20% of total) and some don't have a job
offer. how do you apply the criteria for people who don't have a job
offer? and if these people are under a long term shortage skills for a job
that pays more than 106 K threshold (example; procurement manager, under
LTSSL, paid 130 k$/ year on average but no job offer)?

 

4) LTSSL jobs are those where New Zealand need skilled people in the long
term and where offers exceed the number of applicants, why isn't there any
criteria to prioritise those applications both offshore and onshore to
benefit New Zealand, as those people could be hired in other countries, or
don't have an issue fiding a job elsewhere

 

Your request is being processed in accordance with the Act and a response
will be sent to you in due course.

 

Please note, due to ongoing COVID-19 response work, requests are currently
being triaged and those relating to Covid-19 processed as a priority.
Remaining requests are being assessed as per the Ombudsman’s guidance
(which can be found here:
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/news/chief-ombudsmans-statement-official-information-response-times-during-covid-19-emergency)
and processed accordingly.

 

If you have any enquiries regarding your request, or its urgency, feel
free to contact us via email at [2][MBIE request email].

 

Nâku noa, nâ

MINISTERIAL SERVICES

 

Corporate, Governance and Information

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

Level 4, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078

 

[3]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

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References

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1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/news/...
2. mailto:[MBIE request email]
3. http://www.govt.nz/

Link to this

From: Penny Hazlett
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Dear Sir/Madam

 

I have been allocated your OIA request to respond to. 

 

Firstly, I need to ensure that you are able to make such a request as per
Section 12 of the Official Information Act (OIA), i.e. you are a New
Zealand citizen, permanent resident, or in New Zealand.  I have pasted the
relevant section of the Act as well as the relevant web link at the bottom
of this email.

 

Action

I need you to provide confirmation that you meet this section of the OIA. 
Depending on your situation (as noted below) this can be in the form of:

·         NZ citizen or permanent resident - a copy of your passport (non
New Zealand passport holders include a copy of your residence visa); or

·         In New Zealand - evidence of your New Zealand residential
address (e.g. rental agreements, addressed mail, etc.) and a copy of your
passport.  

 

If you do not wish to provide this information via the fyi website, then
please email me directly at penny(dot)hazlett(at)mbie(dot)govt(dot)nz. 
Please remove the brackets and add in the symbols as I understand that the
FYI website blocks email addresses.  It would be appreciated if you could
provide this as soon as possible or by 12pm Wednesday 22 July 2020 (NZ
time).

 

 

Regards

 

Penny Hazlett

SENIOR BUSINESS ADVISOR, OPERATIONS SUPPORT

Border & Visa Operations, Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

 

[1][email address] |

Level 1, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington, New Zealand

 

 

Official Information Act -Section 12

 

[2]http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/publi...

 

Requests for access to official information

 

12 Requests

 

(1) Any person, being—

 

(a) a New Zealand citizen; or

 

(b) a permanent resident of New Zealand; or

 

(c) a person who is in New Zealand; or

 

(d) a body corporate which is incorporated in New Zealand; or

 

(e) a body corporate which is incorporated outside New Zealand but which 
has a place of business in New Zealand,—

 

may request a department or Minister of the Crown or organisation to make
 available to him or it any specified official information.

 

[3]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

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References

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1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/publi...
3. http://www.govt.nz/

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From: mounir

Dear Penny Hazlett,

I have sent you information regarding your request by email.

Yours sincerely,

mounir

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mounir left an annotation ()

Refused because currently offshore and don't have the right to request this information.

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment only: