With one week to go until the closure of the 2021 Resident Visa, Immigration New Zealand encourages those who are eligible for the 2021 Resident Visa to submit their applications before the category closes at 11:59pm on 31 July 2022.

Immigration New Zealand has received over 103,000 applications involving almost 209,000 people since the one-off simplified pathway to residency opened in December 2021.

“The team continues to work hard to process applications, with 37,455 already processed giving migrants the certain they need to continue putting down roots while also providing surety to employers knowing they have the skills needed as they work through the tail of COVID-19 impacts”

These applications involve many people working in areas of skills shortages, including but not limited to, 6,061 health workers, 14,491 construction workers, 5,729 primary industry workers and 779 teachers.

INZ’s Border and Visa Operations General Manager Nicola Hogg says as of 18 July 2022, 77,892 people have become New Zealand residents through this one-off policy.

The eligibility criteria for the 2021 Resident Visa is broad, Among those eligible to apply are critical health workers or other critical workers for a longer term role who:

• held a visa as a critical health worker or other critical worker on 29 September 2021, or
• were granted a visa as a critical health worker or other critical worker after 29 September 2021.

Further information around the eligibility criteria is available on the INZ website

People can apply for the 2021 Resident Visa up until 11:59pm on 31 July 2022.

More information about the 2021 Resident Visa is available here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/already-have-a-visa/one-off-residence-visa, including:

• an eligibility checker here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/already-have-a-visa/one-off-residence-visa/2021-resident-visa-eligibility,
• a "How to Apply" video here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/videos/2021-resident-visa-phase-one, outlining the application process,
• and an Application checklist here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/documents/forms-and-guides/2021-resident-visa-application-checklist.pdf.

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