New NZ residence pathways boon for tech talent
Highly skilled tech workers could soon find it easier to settle in New Zealand permanently under a new residency pathway announced by the government.
The new Straight to Residence visa aims to provide a more straightforward application process, with faster decision times, for migrants in certain high-skilled occupations. This includes several technology roles such as CIOs, ICT project managers, ICT managers, software engineers, ICT security specialists, and multimedia specialists.
Applications for the Straight to Residence visa opens on 5 September 2022 for migrants already employed in or with an offer of employment in specified “tier 1” roles on the Government’s Green List of high demand occupations.
The roles need to be with an accredited New Zealand employer and need to be full-time (at least 30 hours a week) and permanent, or at least a 12-month fixed term contract. Independent contractors are also eligible under certain circumstances.
The technology roles also have minimum salary requirements which will change with the median wage each year.
However, those who meet the criteria for the visa do not need to wait until September to come to New Zealand, they can enter the country on a work visa now and apply for residence from 5 September.
According to a statement by Minister of Immigration, Michael Wood, most applications for the new visa should be completed within six weeks.
The visa will have the same health, age, and character requirements as the current Skilled Migrant visa category.
Highly Paid Residence visa
Meanwhile, another newly announced residence pathway should also benefit those in higher-paying tech roles, which are not on the Green List.
The Highly Paid Residence visa also aims to provide a more streamlined path for migrants already in New Zealand who have earned at least twice the median wage — currently $55.52 an hour — for at least 24 months.
To qualify, applicants must hold or have held an Accredited Employer Work visa (AEWV), or another work visa. Those who have held or had applied for a Critical Purpose Visitor visa (with work conditions) before 4 July 2022 are also eligible.
Applications for this visa open from September 2023.
InternetNZ appoints new CEO
InternetNZ, which manages the .nz top level internet domain, has appointed Vivien Maidaborn as its new CEO.
Maidaborn was most recently chief of partnerships and resource mobilisation for UNICEF in Vietnam and before that was executive director of UNICEF New Zealand for over six years. She will take up the new role on 17 October 2022, replacing interim CEO Andrew Cushen, who took over the reins from Jordan Carter. Carter left the organisation in June after nine years as CEO.
Maidaborn’s appointment comes as the organisation as prepares to upgrade the .nz register.
EY to launch NZ cybersecurity centres
EY plans to launch cybersecurity centres in Auckland and Wellington, while a third in Christchurch is also a possibility.
The new centres will offer around-the-clock cyber security services to mainly enterprise and government EY customers and will provide access to local cybersecurity professionals, as well as EY’s global network of cybersecurity experts.