Ref: 2223-3056

 

Kia ora N.I.Alali

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 30 June 2023 requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

 

1- Does INZ conduct follow-ups on Skilled Migrant Category applications to
ensure that they have been assigned and are being processed by the
third-party check agency? please provide details on this process.

 

2- What is the timeframe provided by the third-party check agency for
processing applications?

 

3- What is INZ's internal policy regarding escalation of SMC applications
that has been in third party check stage for more than six months? what is
the process and how decisions are made regarding whose application gets
escalated?

 

4- Have there been any recent instructions, policies, advice or directives
regarding the allocation of third-party checks for Skilled Migrant
Residence Visas (excluding 2021 visas)? This includes any emails, records
of internal meetings, or instructions or advice from the Minister's office
or senior management at INZ.

 

5- Is there a different process that INZ or the SAT team follows for
Skilled Migrant Residence Visa applications (excluding 2021 visas) in
comparison to other resident visas? Please provide clarification on this
process, including any instructions or internal policy guidelines. This
may include relevant emails.

 

6- Have there been any instructions from the Minister's office or senior
management at INZ directing INZ to prioritise the 2021 visa pathway over
the traditional Skilled Migrant Residence Visa? This may include any
emails, meeting minutes, or communications from the Minister's office or
senior management teams at INZ.

 

7- As of today, how many case officers are assigned to the SMC visa?

 

8- You claim that you treat all applicants fairly on the principles of
fairness and natural justice, what are the steps the INZ is taking to
ensure fair treatment for SMC applicants who have been waiting  for a
decision on their application for over 4 years now? Has INZ had any
internal discussions about this issue? this includes any advice, internal
policy, emails or instructions they received from the Minister, other
government agencies or consultants on this issue. 

Your request is being processed in accordance with the Act and a response
will be sent to you in due course. If you have any enquiries regarding
your request feel free to contact us via email [1][MBIE request email] or by
using the contact details below.

 

Nāku noa, nā

Ministerial Services

 

Ngā Pou o te Taumaru

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011 |  PO Box 1473 Wellington 6140

 

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[MBIE request email]

Kia ora N.I.Alali

Apologies for the delay, thank you for your patience. We are working on the document release, the delay in processing is due to collation of information. We hope to have this with you by 11 August.

Ngā mihi
Alex

MINISTERIAL SERVICES
Immigration New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
15 Stout Street, PO BOX 1473 Wellington 6140
NZBN 9429000106078

-----Original Message-----
From: N.I.Alali <[FOI #23331 email]>
Sent: Friday, 4 August 2023 2:04 PM
To: Ministerial Services <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Acknowledgement of your Official Information Act Request 2223-3056 [UNCLASSIFIED]

Dear Ministerial Services

I am writing in regards to my OIA request sent on June 30. I haven't received your response or any communication indicating an extension. The Official Information Act requires a response to be sent out within 20 working days, in this case by July 31. Would you please let me know the reasons this request was delayed and a date/timeframe to expect the response?

Yours sincerely,

N.I.Alali

-----Original Message-----

Ref: 2223-3056

Kia ora N.I.Alali

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I acknowledge your email of 30 June 2023 requesting under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

1- Does INZ conduct follow-ups on Skilled Migrant Category applications to ensure that they have been assigned and are being processed by the third-party check agency? please provide details on this process.

2- What is the timeframe provided by the third-party check agency for processing applications?

3- What is INZ's internal policy regarding escalation of SMC applications that has been in third party check stage for more than six months? what is the process and how decisions are made regarding whose application gets escalated?

4- Have there been any recent instructions, policies, advice or directives regarding the allocation of third-party checks for Skilled Migrant Residence Visas (excluding 2021 visas)? This includes any emails, records of internal meetings, or instructions or advice from the Minister's office or senior management at INZ.

5- Is there a different process that INZ or the SAT team follows for Skilled Migrant Residence Visa applications (excluding 2021 visas) in comparison to other resident visas? Please provide clarification on this process, including any instructions or internal policy guidelines. This may include relevant emails.

6- Have there been any instructions from the Minister's office or senior management at INZ directing INZ to prioritise the 2021 visa pathway over the traditional Skilled Migrant Residence Visa? This may include any emails, meeting minutes, or communications from the Minister's office or senior management teams at INZ.

7- As of today, how many case officers are assigned to the SMC visa?

8- You claim that you treat all applicants fairly on the principles of fairness and natural justice, what are the steps the INZ is taking to ensure fair treatment for SMC applicants who have been waiting for a decision on their application for over 4 years now? Has INZ had any internal discussions about this issue? this includes any advice, internal policy, emails or instructions they received from the Minister, other government agencies or consultants on this issue.

Your request is being processed in accordance with the Act and a response will be sent to you in due course. If you have any enquiries regarding your request feel free to contact us via email [1][MBIE request email] or by using the contact details below.

Nāku noa, nā

Ministerial Services

Ngā Pou o te Taumaru

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011 | PO Box 1473 Wellington 6140

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[MBIE request email]

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #23331 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

hide quoted sections

Kia ora N.I.Alali

 

Please find attached the response to your Official Information Act
request.

 

Ngā mihi

Alex

 

MINISTERIAL SERVICES

Immigration New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

15 Stout Street, PO BOX 1473 Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078

[1]http://thelink/how/PublishingImages/MBIE...

 

References

Visible links