23 August 2023
A KS
[FYI request #23564 email]
DOIA 2324-0140
Tēnā koe A,
Thank you for your email of 27 July 2023 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the fol owing:
“1. Can you please disclose the total number of EOIs received from 12 October 2022 til the end
of July 2023 that went into the BALLOT POOL? Only the applications currently in the ballot (please
exclude the declined/refused EOIs). Please provide the number of applicants in all ballot EOIs as
one EOI may have 2 persons too.
2. Can you disclose the dates when EOI selection is planned for BALLOT POOL EOIs? I understand
the selections wil be once every 3 months, like August, Nov, Feb, March, etc. However, do you
have any planned dates for selection (even if those dates could change in future)?
3. Can you disclose the dates when EOI selection is planned to happen for QUEUED POOL EOIs? I
understand the selections wil be once every three months, like August, Nov, Feb, March, etc.
However, do you have any planned dates for selection (even if those dates could change in
future)?
4. Can you disclose the number of EOIs in the QUEUED pool submitted on or before 30 September
2018 and waiting for selection. Please share the number of applicants in those EOIs.
5. Can you disclose the number of EOIs submitted in the QUEUED pool before 12 October 2022
and waiting for selection. Please share the number of applicants in those EOIs.
6. In the other EOI responses, you mentioned that 2000 visas were not issued under Parent
Category in FY 2022/23 from QUEUED POOL. Imagine if only X number of visas were issued in FY
2022/23. Wil the 2000 - X number of visas be carried over to FY2023/24 selections (in addition
to the proposed 2000 visas for FY 2023/24. In brief, for FY2023/24, wil the total proposed visas
for FY 2023/24 be (2000 +2000 -X) 4000 -X?
If not, then, why wil the unused quota from FY2022/23 for the queued pool not be carried over
to the current FY2023/24?”
On 18 August 2023, MBIE advised you that we had decided to grant your request, but that it would
take us some time to prepare and process the information for release. We apologise for the delay in
response.
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Our Response
Question 1: As at 14 August 2023, a total of 5,731 Expression of Interest applications (EOIs) were
received between 12 October 2022 and 31 July 2023 that went into the ballot pool. These EOIs
represented a total of 8,768 applicants.
Question 2 and 3: The ballot draw dates will generally be every three months (August, November,
February, and May) but, there will be an additional one-off bal ot on 12 September 2023.
The next selection for the queue is expected to be on 14 November 2023 but this wil be confirmed on
the INZ website closer to the time.
More information on selection dates for EOI queues and ballots can be found on our website:
Parent
Resident Visa expression of interest (EOI) selection process | Immigration New Zealand. This page is
regularly updated.
Questions 4: As at 14 August 2023, there were a total of 1,300 EOI applications
in the queue which were
submitted before 30 September 2018 and were waiting for selection. These EOIs represent a total of
2,108 applicants.
Question 5: As at 14 August 2023, there were a total of 3,257 EOI applications
in the queue which were
submitted before 12 October 2022 and were waiting for selection. These EOIs represent a total of 5,008
applicants.
Question 6: The Government has set the maximum number of visas that can be approved each year at
2,000 from the queue and 500 from the bal ot, starting in 2023/24. The Government’s decision does not
allow for places to be carried over from one year to the next. INZ aims to select a sufficient number of
EOIs so that the maximum number of visas can be approved each year, however the number of visas
that can be granted wil depend on how many of those invited to apply, do apply and meet the
requirements for the visa to be granted within the year.
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, or if you require any further assistance,
please contac
t [email address]
Nāku noa, nā
Jock Gilray
Director Visa
Chief Operating Officer Immigration Branch
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
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