Indians is one of the largest ethnic groups on New Zealand. (Photo CC: Sheetal Saini)
Indians accounted for the most number of applicants selected for permanent residence visa by Immigration New Zealand.
As per the outcome of the Expressions of Interest (EOI) scheme announced on 16 April 2014, the most number of EOIs accepted by Immigration New Zealand were from India.
Of the 593 EOIs representing 1,155 people that were selected, 27% are from India, followed by China (13%) and the Philippines (11%).
A majority (505) of the accepted EOIs had a job offer, indicating the government’s strong preference for allowing migrants who already have a job to go to in New Zealand.
The majority (473) of migrants with job offer were onshore applicants – they are already in New Zealand.
Applicants scoring more than 140 points are automatically selected for residence. Of the 593 successful applicants, 473 had points in excess of 140, and all of them had a job offer.
About the EOI for skilled migrants
The EOIs for skilled migrant category is one of the most popular categories of Immigration New Zealand. People cannot directly apply for permanent residence visa for New Zealand.
Those who score a minimum of 100 points and are interested in residence visa must first file an Expression of Interest (EOI) either online or in paper form.
EOI is a simple process of filling out a form – no documents are required while submitting an EOI form. All EOI applications are processed in New Zealand only.
Unfortunately, applicants have no right of appeal if their EOI has been unsuccessful.
Those with qualifying points move to the next stage where the immigration authority determines whether the applicants have a strong case for meeting the criteria.
Once immigration authority believes that the applicant has a strong case, they are invited to apply (ITA) for residence.
This is when the applicants credentials and points will be judged based on evidence presented.
An invitation for residence is no indication of the successful outcome of EOI.
How long is my EOI valid?
The EOI remains in the pool for six months, and if the applicant hasn’t been selected in those six moths, the EOI expires.
How do I know if I will get permanent residence in New Zealand?
Because of the outcome of your EOI depends on the quality of other applicants in the pool during the six-month period, it is hard to know how many points are required to be selected from the pool.
As can be seen from the figures revealed earlier in this article, the most important factor that decides the success of an EOI under skilled migrant category is a valid job offer. The second factor is whether the candidate is already working in a role related to their field in New Zealand.
The candidates’ employability is the most critical factor in gaining residency in New Zealand.
