Liu
[FYI request #18191 email]
Ref: DOIA 2122-1407
Dear Liu,
Thank you for your email of 14 January 2022 requesting under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act),
the following information:
“1- INZ has started the processing of offshore resident visa applications. Can you share the
unallocated submitted offshore and onshore resident visa applications to date? Please break down
the list into general queue (onshore and offshore), priority queue (onshore and offshore) and month
or week when applications were submitted?
2- What is the criteria of processing onshore SMC visa applications? When the applications will be
processed for those who are onshore but not eligible for one-off residency? Majority of them are
already waiting from last two years and so. What steps INZ is taking to accommodate such
applicants?
3- If INZ has started the processing of offshore applications and currenlty giving priority to one off
residency visa applications, then how INZ is allocating resources? Please be specific, how many staff
members are processing one off and other resident visa applications? Is the allocation fair? What
were the criterion used to make such allocation?
4- Why INZ hasn’t increased its capacity before starting the offshore visa applications? If court ruled
out this decision then it was solely INZ responsibility to increase its capacity to process the
applications. Why INZ is switching from one queue to other while making some of SMC visa
applicants ineligible of one-off resident visa by applying the rule of eligible visa on 29 September
2021?
5- INZ is starting the applications as per submission date and/or priority queue. Then why INZ is
focusing more on this new one-off resident visa applications while INZ just started this one off
resident visa recently? Why INZ is ignoring those who have already submitted their SMC applications
and waiting for an allocation from last 2 years and so. INZ is conflicting with its own stance and it is
highly unfair with those who are not eligible for this one-off resident visa. INZ pushed them back by
introducing new policies and changing its stance.
6- Why INZ is constantly changing its policies and stance without considering their impact on lives
of many migrants? Is INZ applying term called "collateral damage"?”
Our Response
1. INZ has started the processing of offshore resident visa applications. Can you share the unallocated
submitted offshore and onshore resident visa applications to date? Please break down the list into
general queue (onshore and offshore), priority queue (onshore and offshore) and month or week when
applications were submitted?
In response to this question, please refer to Table 1 attached as an appendix to this letter.
1
2. What is the criteria of processing onshore SMC visa applications? When the applications will be
processed for those who are onshore but not eligible for one-off residency? Majority of them are already
waiting from last two years and so. What steps INZ is taking to accommodate such applicants?
3. If INZ has started the processing of offshore applications and currenlty giving priority to one off
residency visa applications, then how INZ is allocating resources? Please be specific, how many staff
members are processing one off and other resident visa applications? Is the allocation fair? What were
the criterion used to make such allocation?
With the opening of the 2021 Resident Visa, most of Immigration New Zealand’s staff who were processing
Skilled Migrant (SMC) and Residence from Work (RFW) category applications are now processing 2021
Resident Visa applications. This reflects the recent change to the order in which residence category visa
applications are processed. While we will retain a dedicated team of Immigration Officers processing Skilled
Migrant and Residence from Work category, processing applications for the 2021 Resident Visa is a priority
for Immigration New Zealand.
I can confirm that processing is continuing for applications in the skilled residence queue where the
applicant has not applied for the 2021 Resident Visa. Many people in this queue have applied for the 2021
Resident Visa, which has significantly reduced the number of applications to process and will have a positive
impact on allocation times for the applications remaining.
As of 10 February 2022, there are 10 Immigration Officers processing skilled residence applications. Visa
applications will continue to be processed in accordance with A16.1 General Instructions as to the order of
processing visa applications. More information on this can be found here: Operational Manual -
Immigration New Zealand. Issue Date: 2 February 2022Operational Manual - Immigration New Zealand.
Issue Date: 22 August 2016
4. Why INZ hasn’t increased its capacity before starting the offshore visa applications? If court ruled out
this decision then it was solely INZ responsibility to increase its capacity to process the applications. Why
INZ is switching from one queue to other while making some of SMC visa applicants ineligible of one-off
resident visa by applying the rule of eligible visa on 29 September 2021?
5. INZ is starting the applications as per submission date and/or priority queue. Then why INZ is focusing
more on this new one-off resident visa applications while INZ just started this one off resident visa
recently? Why INZ is ignoring those who have already submitted their SMC applications and waiting for
an allocation from last 2 years and so. INZ is conflicting with its own stance and it is highly unfair with
those who are not eligible for this one-off resident visa. INZ pushed them back by introducing new
policies and changing its stance.
Immigration New Zealand continues to build our capacity and capability across the visa processing network
to ensure we can deliver timely visa decisions for applicants across all visa categories. Immigration New
Zealand is also currently expanding its office space in New Zealand and recruiting to grow the size of its
workforce to meet the expected increase in visa volumes.
The Government has introduced a one-off residence pathway – the 2021 Resident Visa – to provide an
estimated 165,000 migrants currently in New Zealand with residence. The one-off residence pathway will
allow employers to retain settled, skilled and scarce migrant workers, reflecting their critical part in New
Zealand’s economy, and also gives migrant workers who have already demonstrated their commitment to
New Zealand the certainty to make a life here.
The 2021 Resident Visa will be simple for applicants to apply for and will be an online application form
which will make it faster and easier for applicants to complete and submit. As the applications will be
submitted online, they will still be able to be processed where there are disruptions to access to our offices.
2
INZ are currently recruiting for more staff to ensure there is the right level of resource to process additional
visa volumes that are expected across the immigration system.
Processing the new 2021 Resident Visa applications is a priority for INZ and are committed to deciding the
vast majority of these applications within 12 months, with some being much faster.
The 2021 Resident Visa is more streamlined than a skilled residence application and as a result, we are
processing these applications more quickly. You can view the current timeframes here and eligibility criteria
here.
The processing is continuing for applications in the skilled residence queue where the applicant has not
applied for the 2021 Resident Visa. Many people in this queue have applied for the 2021 Resident Visa,
which has significantly reduced the number of applications to process and will have a positive impact on
allocation times for the applications remaining.
6. Why INZ is constantly changing its policies and stance without considering their impact on lives of
many migrants? Is INZ applying term called "collateral damage"?”
The decisions about eligibility were made by the Government through a decision at Cabinet. You can see
the Cabinet paper where the options about eligibility are explained on the MBIE website:
One-off residence pathway for onshore migrant workers (mbie.govt.nz)
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or Freephone 0800 802
602.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, please contact [email address].
Yours sincerely,
Nicola Hogg
General Manager - Border and Visa Operations
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
3
Table 1. The total number of skilled residence applications on hand as of 3 February 2022 broken down
by Onshore/Offshore, Priority/Non-Priority queues and by month the applications were accepted for
processing by Immigration New Zealand. Note that figures equal to or less than five have been
withheld under section 9(2)(a) to protect an individual’s privacy.
Offshore
Onshore
Month
Priority
Non Priority Non Priority
Accepted
applications
applications applications
Dec-18
37
0
0
Jan-19
59
<=5
0
Feb-19
46
0
0
Mar-19
47
<=5
0
Apr-19
78
0
0
May-19
72
<=5
0
Jun-19
71
0
0
Jul-19
66
<=5
0
Aug-19
75
<=5
0
Sep-19
58
0
0
Oct-19
83
0
0
Nov-19
79
327
<=5
Dec-19
81
418
<=5
Jan-20
90
341
7
Feb-20
82
436
11
Mar-20
86
676
19
Apr-20
27
84
0
May-20
59
424
6
Jun-20
59
341
<=5
Jul-20
32
407
8
Aug-20
42
325
7
Sep-20
20
245
<=5
Oct-20
25
257
<=5
Nov-20
29
278
8
Dec-20
24
240
<=5
Jan-21
8
135
6
Feb-21
<=5
171
7
Mar-21
<=5
221
11
Apr-21
<=5
216
11
May-21
<=5
272
11
Jun-21
<=5
281
14
Jul-21
<=5
281
17
Aug-21
0
233
63
Sep-21
<=5
269
95
Oct-21
0
644
228
Nov-21
0
552
207
Dec-21
0
93
119
Jan-22
0
14
73
Feb-22
0
<=5
0
Total
1,449
8,188
954
4
5
