Minimum payscale required SMC and essential skills work visa
Hemang made this Official Information request to Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
The request was partially successful.
      From: Hemang
      
    
    Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,
I would like to ask MBIE the following:
1)
Is NZ career website the only source Immigration New Zealand Case officers specifically consider while assessing the market rates?
Or in other words , is NZ Career Website the only legal website that Immigration NZ specifically considers while assessing the application and does not considers any other salary resources to understand the Market rate for a specific employment?
===========================================================
2) Does the salary or the wages that Immigration officer considers have to be specifically a base pay and not including any perks,commissions etc from the employer?
If yes, then as per the operational manual under the SMC and essential skills work visa instructions can you please point that out , stating the Salary and Wages are only fixed amount of money and does not includes bonuses or perks from employers?
As I am unable to find that out.
Yours faithfully,
Hemang
        From: Neil Bailey
        Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
      
    
    Hello Hemang
 
Thank you for your query. 
 
Your request is a general enquiry rather than an Official information  Act
 request, so I have provided you with the answers below.
 
In response to your first question, Immigration Officers have a number of
 resources they use to determine market rates.
Guidance was provided to Immigration Officers in August 2016 which
 includes links to a number of resources they can use.
You can access this advice via this link to Immigration New Zealand’s
 website [1]http://kb.immigration.govt.nz/item/21782
 
In relation to your second question the answer is yes, Immigration
 Officers can only consider base salary.
 
There are a number of references in Immigration Instructions, both under
 the Skilled Migrant and Temporary Entry Visa categories.  These are
 included by way of a clarifying note.
Below are some examples of the notes and  references the sections of
 Immigration Instructions.
 
SM 7.10.1 (c) Skilled Employment
Note: For the avoidance of doubt, the annual base salary excludes
 employment related allowances (for example overtime, tool or uniform
 allowances, medical insurance, accommodation) and must be calculated on
 the basis of 40 hours' work per week.
 
WR1.5 Who is eligible for a work visa under the Talent (Accredited
 Employers) Work Instructions?
Note:
 ~ For the avoidance of doubt, the minimum base salary excludes
 employment-related allowances (for example overtime, tool or uniform
 allowances, medical insurance, accommodation).
 ~ The minimum base salary is calculated on the basis of 40 hours work per
 week.
 
WK1.15 Minimum income requirement for dependent children of Essential
 Skills work visa holders
Note: Where both parents hold Essential Skills work visas, their incomes
 may be combined to meet the minimum income threshold.
 The minimum income threshold excludes employment-related allowances (for
 example overtime, tool or uniform allowances, medical insurance,
 accommodation) and must be calculated on the basis of no more than 40
 hours' work per week.
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
Neil Bailey
SENIOR BUSINESS ADVISOR
 
Visa Services, Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
Level 1, 15 Stout Street, Wellington
 
[email address]  Telephone +64 (04) 901 1240
 
 
 
 
 
Original Message-----
From: Hemang [[2]mailto:[FOI #6166 email]]
Sent: Sunday, 9 July 2017 1:50 p.m.
To: *OIA
Subject: Official Information request - Minimum payscale required SMC and
 essential skills work visa
 
Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,
 
I would like to ask MBIE the following:
 
1)
Is NZ career website the only source Immigration New Zealand Case officers
 specifically consider while assessing the market rates?
 
Or in other words , is NZ Career Website the only legal website that
 Immigration NZ specifically considers while assessing the application and
 does not considers any other salary resources to understand the Market
 rate for a specific employment?
===========================================================
2) Does the salary or the wages that Immigration officer considers have to
 be specifically a base pay and not including any perks,commissions etc
 from the employer?
 
If yes, then as per the operational manual under the SMC and essential
 skills work visa instructions can you please point that out , stating the
 Salary and Wages are only fixed amount of money and does not includes
 bonuses or perks from employers?
 
As I am unable to find that out.
 
Yours faithfully,
 
Hemang
 
 
[3]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
 services
show quoted sections
References
Visible links
 1. http://kb.immigration.govt.nz/item/21782
 2. mailto:[FOI #6166 email]
 3. http://www.govt.nz/
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Anchal Marwah left an annotation ()
Dear MBIE,
I would like to add to this FYI request:-
So it means a CO has not the liberty which website should be only considered and disregard the other salary resources and should come to conclusion after looking at all the salary resources and not specifically one?
Is that right?
Link to this