A new one-off 2021 residency visa was announced by the Minister of Immigration this morning. The estimate is that around 110,000 principal visa holders will be eligible for the 2021 Resident Visa and around 165,000 people in total when including partners and dependents who are already in New Zealand.
The eligibility in brief is:
Applicants must have met the criteria on 29 September 2021.
To be eligible you must:
- have been in New Zealand on 29 September 2021, and
- be on an eligible visa or have applied for an eligible visa before 29 September 2021 that is later granted.
You must also meet one of the three criteria:
- have lived in New Zealand for three or more years, or
- earn at or above the median wage ($27 per hour), or
- work in a role on a scarce list.
If you meet the criteria for eligibility but are in Australia and have been unable to return to New Zealand by 29 September 2021, you may be considered eligible.”