Essential Skills Policy new minimum income requirement
 

Essential Skills Policy new minimum income requirement

Tuesday, November 17, 2009


From 30 November 2009, applications for a visitor or student visa/permit for dependent children of Essential Skills work visa/permit holders will need to include evidence that the parent meets a minimum income threshold of NZ$33,675 per annum gross in order to live with them in New Zealand, unless the parent held a work permit on and before 30 November 2009.
This threshold has been introduced to ensure a basic standard of living for temporary migrant families while they are in New Zealand and to ensure that the living standards of migrant workers do not fall below those families supported by the income support system. Unlike residents, temporary migrants are not eligible for government benefits.


Essential Skills Policy minimum income requirement questions and answers

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
What is the current situation?

Currently people who have been issued an Essential Skills work permit can bring their children to New Zealand for the duration of their stay, without needing to meet any salary threshold.

What does a minimum income threshold policy mean?

A minimum income threshold ensures a basic standard of living for temporary migrant families while they are in New Zealand. Temporary migrants are not eligible for government benefits, unlike residents who are eligible for standard benefits after two years.

Why change the policy?

The intention is to ensure that temporary migrants have a minimum income in New Zealand to support their families.

How has the threshold been calculated?

The threshold has been calculated using the unemployment benefit, maximum accommodation supplement and family tax credit rate.

When will the change to policy come into effect?

It will be effective from 30 November 2009.

Who will be affected by the policy change?

Anyone who:

• wants to bring their dependent children to New Zealand; and
• is applying for a temporary work visa/permit under Essential Skills work policy; and
• has an annual income from salary or wages of under $33,675, and
• does not currently hold a temporary work permit in New Zealand.

Has there been a problem with the number of migrants coming to New Zealand with children and without enough money to support them?

There has been some media reporting of temporary migrant families living in undesirable conditions. This policy requirement will ensure that temporary migrant families at least have a specified minimum income.

Is this the same as other policies?

Currently there are no minimum income thresholds required to support dependent children in temporary work policy. The following residence policies have minimum income thresholds for the principal applicant:

• Pacific Access Category
• Samoan Quota and
• Sibling and Adult Child policy.

Are these thresholds similar to that being introduced?

The new threshold is slightly higher than that required by the Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota residence policies, reflecting that residents are eligible for standard government benefits after two years, whereas temporary migrants are not. The thresholds used in Sibling and Adult Child policy vary by number of dependent children.

Can the children of Essential Skills work visa/permit holders come to New Zealand on short visits without their parent(s) meeting the minimum income threshold?

Yes, the minimum income requirement will not need to be met if the child is only visiting the parent(s). However, if the child was to stay for the duration of the Essential Skills work permit held by their parent(s) or to apply to study in New Zealand they would need to show that their parent(s) meets the minimum income threshold.

Re: Essential Skills Policy new minimum income requirement
 

Bev, thanks for that. I am currently waiting for ITA after having my EOI selected 2 weeks ago on silled migrant visa with 125 points. I currently don't have a job offer & was planning to get a position once we had arrived with our visas as face to face interviews are a lot better than over the phone from the other side of the world.

I understood I had 9 months to secure a position, but my question is in this time do we now have to pay for our childrens education as our income would be less than the stated values?
Does it mean I have to come out first to secure a position before our children are allowed in & entitled to state education?

Thanks
Dave

Re: Essential Skills Policy new minimum income requirement
 

With regards to this change in policy, does anyone know the answer to my question.
We have now been successful with EOI without a job offer and plan to come out with the family once we have ITA & stickers in passports.
I understand I will have 9 months to secure a position, but my question is in this time do we now have to pay for our childrens education as our income would be less than the stated values?
Does it mean I have to come out first to secure a position before our children are allowed in & entitled to free state education?

Thanks
Dave

Re: Essential Skills Policy new minimum income requirement
 

If you are issued an ITA and you send that back, if you are then successful you will be issued with either a Permanant Residence (PR) or Work To Residence (WTR) visa or worst case scenario your application could be declined.

The following is from the NZIS website,

If granted a WTR;
A work to residence visa or permit
If you have been offered a work to residence visa or permit instead of a residence visa or permit, there are certain things you have to do.

Within three months of the offer, you must return your application form for the work to residence visa or permit.
During the visa or permit application, you must show us that you are able to support yourself and your family for at least the first three months in New Zealand. This means NZ$1000 per person for each month, or NZ$400 per person each month if your accommodation has been paid for.
You will also have to show that you have the money available to purchase tickets to your home country for you and your family should you have to leave New Zealand.

If you are out of New Zealand, you will get a work to residence visa which will allow you to travel to New Zealand within three months. On arrival, or if you are already in New Zealand, you will be granted a nine-month work permit.

It will pay you to contact the NZIS but I am not sure if you will have to pay for childrens education.

Re: Essential Skills Policy new minimum income requirement
 

Sorry to be late to the party.

The is not relevant to you if you have PR stickers in your passports. This is about temp work visa/permit holders.

Do you mean to validate the visa by arriving into NZ?

Re: Essential Skills Policy new minimum income requirement
 

Thanks Bev, sorry I thought it also applies to skilled migrant visa.

Yes the 9 months relate to the maximum time period that I have once I have arrived in NZ to secure a position before the visa becomes invalid.