A16.1 General Instructions for the order of processing visa applications (14/03/2023)

For the avoidance of doubt, general instructions are to be read alongside and subject to any immigration instructions specifically addressing order or manner of processing visa applications.

For the purposes of this general instruction, residence class visa applications are categorised in groups. Groups consist of either application types within a particular overarching policy, a category with different but associated visa policies, or specific applications that are grouped together in the Immigration New Zealand Operational Manual. Current groupings are found at A16.5.

Under section 26(4) of the Immigration Act 2009 and acting under delegated authority from the Chief Executive of the Ministry of the Business, Innovation, and Employment, I give the following general instructions as to the order and manner of processing of visa applications, effective from 14 March 2023:

Note: Immigration instructions that relate to order and manner of processing (which these instructions are subject to) include: the Skilled Residence Straight to Residence and Work to Residence visa applications (SR1.1).

All applications

1. Applications of the same group should generally be processed in lodgement date order unless specified below.
2. Within the Skilled Residence group, Skilled Migrant Category applications with job offers will be prioritised where:
   1. applicants have an hourly rate equivalent to or higher than twice the median wage that is in place in immigration instructions on the date they make their application; or
   2. applicants hold current occupational registration where registration is required by immigration instructions.

      Note: The hourly rate equivalent to twice the median wage is set out in the applicable immigration instructions and may change. At the date of giving this General Instruction the hourly rate equivalent to twice the median wage is $59.32 per hour or an annual salary of $123,385.60. The current immigration instructions should be referred to when applying this General Instruction.

3. Within the 2021 Resident Visa category, applications will be prioritised where they are under assessment and the principal applicant:
   1. has employment or a job offer in a medical occupation on the Green List and meets the requirements for that occupation (Appendix 13); or
   2. is separated from their offshore partner and/or dependent children due to the COVID-19 pandemic and (for those applications involving partners) the relationship with the partner has been established before March 2020 (when the COVID 19 border restrictions were introduced).

      Note: In order to identify and give effect to the 2021 Resident Visa category application prioritisation, applications must be under assessment by an immigration officer (including being at the ‘under assessment’ or later stage in the enhanced online immigration system (A16.3)).

4. Within the Residence from Work group, applications will be prioritised where applicants with job offers:
   1. Have an hourly rate equivalent to or higher than twice the median wage that is in place in immigration instructions on the date they make their application; or
   2. hold current occupational registration where registration is required by immigration instructions.
5. Within the Family Residence group, Partnership and Dependent Child Family applications will be prioritised.
6. Within the Refugee (and other special visas) Residence group, applications for the following permanent resident visas will be prioritised:
   1. Christchurch response (2019)
   2. Afghan Emergency Resettlement Category
   3. Refugee and Protection Category
   4. Refugee Quota Family Reunification Category
   5. Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship Category Pilot.
7. These instructions do not prevent immigration officers according urgency to the processing of any particular visa application when the individual circumstances so warrant that.

Note: Processing timeliness of applications generally, as well as those particular applications assigned priority over others in their group, will vary based on factors including resourcing, availability of relevantly trained immigration officers, system capacity, volumes, typical complexity of the application and can change depending on circumstances.
For the 2021 Resident Visa category, applicants were directed to use the electronic form on immigration.govt.nz appropriate to their circumstances. If this was on the enhanced Immigration Online system, refer to A16.3 as to the manner of processing that applies to those applications once they were made. The prioritisation for allocation set out above does not affect the date the application is made. An application is made on the date the application is submitted in accordance with the applicable immigration regulations.
The General Instruction as to manner of processing published at A16.3 applies to all applications made using the enhanced Immigration Online system.

The previous General Instructions dated 22 December 2022 as to the order and manner of processing of visa applications made under section 26(4) of the Immigration Act 2009 are revoked.

Alison McDonald
Deputy Secretary
Immigration

16 March 2023

Effective 14/03/2023