Immigration – again a hot topic in the lead up to the General election

New Zealand will hold a General Election on 19 September 2020 and the date is approaching fast. Political parties are positioning themselves in order to win votes, including on the issue of immigration. The New Zealand First party says it will cap immigration numbers...

Relevant legislation, other rules in the immigration context

Legislation is important in the New Zealand immigration context. It is intended to provide a framework for the management of immigration in New Zealand in a way that balances New Zealand’s national interests with international obligations, while protecting New...

Parent Visas – Hurry Up and Wait

Since mid-2018 the Government has made noises about reopening the Parent Residence category from time to time.  The Minister of Immigration at the NZAMI Conference in August 2018 said that his people would be looking at it soon.  Then Immigration New Zealand indicated...

Migrant Exploitation – a Clear and Present Danger for Employees

  In the last couple of years – and especially since the Labour Government took office last year – both Immigration New Zealand and the MBIE Labour Inspectorate have upscaled their efforts to find and punish employers who misuse the power imbalance...

Post Study Work Visas – the Change has Come

In a recent post I alerted readers to a significant rewrite of Work Visa policy for those who complete New Zealand qualifications.  Last Friday the Government rolled out the new scheme which will take effect in November.  While it was largely what we expected, there...