AUSTRALIA versus NEW ZEALAND ....big changes give New Zealand the edge.
Australian cricket may be celebrating after their recent victory over New Zealand in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy, but as far as immigration goes, New Zealand is now a clear leader. The Australian Immigration authorities’ recently announced unexpected changes to the skilled migration program. Most affected are those that have secured sponsorship from a State or Territory Government for one of the skilled visas, but who do not have an occupation on the Critical Skills List. These migrants could reasonably have anticipated relatively speedy processing of their skilled visa application, but now they appear to have been relegated well down the list of priorities and early indications are that they will not see their applications finalised before the end of 2012. By way of contrast, Immigration New Zealand have reduced the pass mark for Skilled Migration to just 110 points. In July the pass mark stood at 140 points, so the reduction is significant and means many more migrants can now achieve a residence visa without needing a job offer. You could be enjoying life in New Zealand within a few months. However, for those in less of a hurry to leave, eligible migrants will have up to 3 years to emigrate, meaning you can move at your leisure. Equally important is the fact that with your residence visa already secured, it will be far easier to find the right job. As a result of the above, we are already receiving enquiries from people who believe they should now prioritise New Zealand as their preferred destination. They want the reassurance of knowing their residence visa can be secured quickly, thus protecting their future. If you want to know how you are affected by these changes and to fully review your options, please call us today on 0845 230 4390 to speak with one of our migration experts.