Skilled Migrant automatic EOI selection threshold set at 160 points

Policy effect

Instructions effective October 12, 2016 set automatic selection from the Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest pool at 160 points. The previous route for selecting EOIs with more than 100 but fewer than 140 points and New Zealand employment was removed. Entry to the pool still required at least 100 points and the health, character, English-language and age prerequisites. Selection did not guarantee an invitation to apply or residence. The Minister could adjust the automatic-selection mark by certifying amended residence instructions.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: Entry to the pool still required at least 100 points and the health, character, English-language and age prerequisites.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

… to 2,000 per year. F4.10.15 Selection of Expressions of Interest From 12 October 2016, no further selections will be made from the Parent Category Pool. F4.10.5 has been amended to advise that selections will cease from that date. SM2 Overview of Skilled Migrant Category SM3.15 Selection of Expressions of Interest SM3.25 Invitation to apply for a resident visa under the Skilled Migrant Category SM4.5 Approval of applications under the Skilled Migrant Category SM4.15 Employability and capacity building requirements Amendments have been made to SM2 and SM3.15 to raise the automatic selection mar … k for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to be drawn from the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Pool to 160 points. Provision SM2(e)(ii) and SM3.15(c)(ii) allowing for selection of EOIs that have total points of more than 100 and less than 140 with points, where the submitter also has employment in New Zealand, have been removed. Provisions at SM3.15(d) and SM3.15.1 Additional selection criteria have also been removed, as these additional selection criteria expired on 31 August this year and are not currently required to meet the New Zealand Residence Programme. As the additional selection criteria h … ave been removed, consequential amendments have been made to SM2(m)(iii), SM3.25(a)(ii), SM4.5(b) and (c), and SM4.15(a) to remove references to the additional selection criteria. New provisions have been inserted at SM2(f) and SM3.15(d) to allow for the adjustment of the automatic selection mark where this is necessary to meet the requirements of the New Zealand Residence Programme. References to selections being made ‘periodically’ have been removed from both SM2(d) and SM3.15(b). 2 SM5.5 Minimum standard of English language for principal applicants SM5.5.1 Transitional provisions for princi … ry approvals include places for approvals under the Parent, Sibling and Adult Child categories for applications lodged on or before 16 May 2012 and approvals under the Parent Category for applications lodged after 16 May 2012. 7 SM2 Overview of Skilled Migrant Category a. A person who is interested in applying for a resident visa under the Skilled Migrant Category must complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form in the prescribed manner. b. EOIs which meet prerequisites for health, character, English language and age, and have a point score of 100 or more points are entered into the Pool of … 11 October 2016 IMMIGRATION NEW ZEALAND INSTRUCTIONS: Amendment Circular No. 2016/06 To: All Manual Holders AMENDMENTS TO THE IMMIGRATION NEW ZEALAND OPERATIONAL MANUAL Introduction This circular outlines changes to immigration instructions. A copy of the amended instructions is attached. All immigration officers dealing with immigration applications should read the amendments in Appendix 1 and operate in accordance with the amended instructions on and after 12 October 2016. Note The amendments described in this circular will be published in the Immigration New Zealand Operational on 12 Octobe … r 2016. Any enquiries about these amendments should be directed to the Immigration Contact Centre on 0508 558 855 or 09 914 4100 (Auckland only). Changes to residence instructions effective on and after 12 October 2016 R6.1 New Zealand Residence Programme R6.5 Allocation of places within the New Zealand Residence Programme These provisions have been amended to give effect to the New Zealand Residence Programme (NZRP) for the 2016/17 to 2017/18 years. The planning range of the NZRP for this two-year period is 85,000 to 95,000 and includes a reduction in the cap for the Capped Family categories …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other New Zealand changes operative in 2016

• 2016-02-04Pathway English-course 16-week limit narrowed to specified applicants
• 2016-02-04Pathway Student Visa English-test requirement narrowed by country decline rate
• 2016-10-12Capped Family allocation set at 4,000 places for the two-year residence programme
• 2016-10-12Immigration New Zealand Operational Manual
• 2016-10-12Skilled Migrant English-language evidence alternatives tightened
• 2016-11-21Establishment of the Global Impact Visa (GIVs) Pilot Programme
• 2016-11-21South African citizenship-based visitor travel visa waiver removed
• 2016-11-21Visa waiver extended to citizens of Mauritius and Seychelles
• 2016-12-09Student visa provision introduced for qualifications delayed by NZQA intervention