This category of residence visa closed on 31 July 2022.
Please contact Idesi Legal Limited for all Residence Visa options.
Call 04 461 6018

2021 Residence Category Special Visa

Am I guaranteed New Zealand 2021 Residence Visa?

The answer is no. You are not automatically guaranteed a one off 2021 Residence Visa for New Zealand.

How to get a Residence Visa in New Zealand

Obtaining NZ residence is never straightforward. Even the slightest past misstep can affect a Residence Visa application outcome.

We cannot emphasise enough that even though getting a one off 2021 Residence Visa NZ has been presented as a quick tick-box exercise and guaranteed, getting a residency visa for New Zealand is not a simplistic as that.

It is very important to have legal representation throughout the visa application process.

IDESI LEGAL can assist you. The team of immigration lawyers at IDESI LEGAL in Wellington has the training and experience to help with all types of New Zealand residency visa applications. Call us on 04 461 6018.

2021 Residence Visa NZ

Some traps exist when applying for the 2021 residence visa, so it is important to continue to have representation so that these can be managed.

INZ may decline your 2021 residence visa NZ application on any number of grounds including:

  • Health grounds
  • Character grounds ( it has a wide definition whether you have omitted, deceived or misled INZ in past applications – INZ will conduct NZ Police checks).
  • Whether your position is on the skills list (INZ will conduct a rigorous examination and you may be subject to reclassification).
  • Were you actually paid $27 per hour before this date (there is a specific calculation and INZ will check your IRD summaries of earnings)
  • Whether you continue to be eligible for the visa class.
  • Whether you continue to hold the above visa.
  • For partners – specific criteria needs to be met.

These are some of the issues which may arise, however, IDESI LEGAL has successfully represented people who have had these visa application issues in the past. 

One off 2021 Residence Visa

On 30 September the Minister for Immigration Kris Faafoi announced a special category of Residence for 2021. Those applicants who meet specific criteria on 29 September 2021 are to be granted a Residence Visa subject to character and health requirements.

It is expected that up to 165,000 migrants may be eligible for this residence pathway to New Zealand and applications are expected to take 12 months.

Who can apply?

You must have held (or applied for) one of these visas on 29 September 2021.

  • Post Study Work Visa
  • Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa
  • Essential Skills Work Visa
  • Religious Worker Work Visa
  • Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa
  • Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa
  • Silver Fern Practical Experience Work Visa
  • Trafficking Victim Work Visa
  • Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa
  • Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Work Visa
  • Victims of Family Violence Work Visa
  • South Island Contribution Work Visa
  • Work Visa granted under Section 61 (provided the applicant held another eligible visa type within 6 months before being granted a Section 61 visa)
  • Some Critical Purpose Visitor Visas (CPVV)

What is the criteria?

On 29 September 2021 you must have:

  • lived in New Zealand for three or more years, or
  • earn above the median wage ($27 per hour or more), or
  • work in a role on the Long-Term Skill Shortage List or
  • hold occupational registration and work in the health or education sector or
  • work in personal care or other critical health worker roles (see toggle below), or
  • work in a specified role in the primary industries (see toggle below)

When can I apply for 2021 residence visa?

You can apply for a one off 2021 residence visa on 01 December 2021. The first group of people who can apply for residency visas are those who have already applied for Residence under Skilled Migrant Category (two) or those who have applied for Residence from Work (Long Term Skills Shortage, Accredited Employer). Invitations have already been sent to most people eligible in the first group.

On 01 March 2022, all other people who are eligible can apply for NZ residency, including all who have submitted an expression of interest.

Long Term Skills Shortage List
  • Analyst programmer
  • Automotive electrician
  • Chef (chef de partie or higher)
  • Chemical engineer
  • Civil engineer
  • Civil engineering technician
  • Clinical psychologist
  • Computer network and systems engineer
  • Construction project manager
  • Database administrator
  • Developer programmer
  • Diagnostic and interventional radiologist
  • Diesel motor mechanic (including heavy vehicle inspector)
  • Electric line mechanic
  • Electrical engineer
  • Electrical engineering technician
  • Electrician (general)
  • Electronic engineering technician
  • Electronics engineer
  • Engineering professional
  • Environmental engineer
  • Environmental research scientist
  • Food technologist
  • General practitioner
  • Geotechnical engineer
  • ICT business analyst
  • ICT customer support officer
  • ICT project manager
  • ICT quality assurance engineer
  • ICT security specialist
  • ICT support and test engineer
  • ICT support engineer
  • ICT systems test engineer
  • Industrial engineer
  • Materials engineer
  • Mechanical engineer
  • Medical laboratory scientist
  • Medical radiation therapist
  • Multimedia specialist (film animator)
  • Multimedia specialist
  • Network administrator
  • Obstetrician and gynaecologist
  • Organisation and methods analyst
  • Other spatial scientist
  • Physicist (medical)
  • Physiotherapist
  • Procurement manager
  • Production or plant engineer
  • Project builder (including building project manager and site foreman)
  • Psychiatrist
  • Quantity surveyor
  • Registered nurse (aged care)
  • Software engineer
  • Software tester
  • Software and applications programmer
  • Sonographer
  • Specialist physician in palliative medicine
  • Structural engineer
  • Surgeon (general)
  • Surveyor
  • Systems administrator
  • Systems analyst
  • Telecommunications engineer
  • Telecommunications network engineer
  • Veterinarian
  • Web developer
Health & Education Sector
  • Chiropractor
  • Clinical dental technician
  • Clinical dental therapist
  • Dental hygienist
  • Dental technician
  • Dental therapist
  • Dentist
  • Dietitian
  • Dispensing optician
  • Medical laboratory scientist/technologist
  • Medical laboratory technician
  • Medical practitioner
  • Medical radiation technologist
  • Midwives
  • Nurse
  • Occupational therapist
  • Optometrist
  • Osteopath
  • Paramedic
  • Pharmacist
  • Physiotherapist
  • Podiatrist
  • Psychologist
  • Teacher (including Principals and registered Early Childhood Education teachers)
Personal carers and other critical health workers
  • Aged and disabled carers
  • Nursing support and personal care workers
  • Paramedics and ambulance workers (including air and road)
  • Physician associates
  • Special care workers
  • Technical and support staff working in various services including theatre, laboratories, radiology, pharmacy services, oncology, haematology, pathology, hyperbaric medicine and mortuaries
  • Workers who install, operate or maintain medical equipment
  • Workers delivering mental health and addictions services, aged care, respite, home care and support, child health, palliative and hospice care, forensic health, and disability support
Roles in the Primary Sector
  • Agricultural and horticultural mobile plant operator
  • Agricultural consultant
  • Agricultural engineer
  • Agricultural scientist
  • Agricultural technician
  • Anaesthetic technician
  • Animal attendants and trainers nec
  • Apiarist
  • Aquaculture farmer
  • Aquaculture worker
  • Arborist
  • Baker
  • Baking factory worker
  • Beef cattle farm worker
  • Beef cattle farmer
  • Boat builder and repairer
  • Brewery worker
  • Butcher or smallgoods maker
  • Cabinetmakers
  • Cardiac technician
  • Chef
  • Chemist
  • Confectionery maker
  • Conservation Officer
  • Cook
  • Cotton Grower
  • Crop farm workers nec
  • Crop Farmers nec
  • Dairy cattle farm worker
  • Dairy cattle farmer
  • Dairy products maker
  • Deck hand
  • Deer farmer
  • Dog handler or trainer
  • Environmental consultant
  • Environmental engineer
  • Environmental manager
  • Environmental research scientist
  • Environmental scientists nec
  • Fabric and textile factory worker
  • Farm, forestry and garden workers
  • Farrier
  • Fencer
  • Fisheries officer
  • Fishing hand
  • Florist
  • Food and drink factory workers nec
  • Food technologist
  • Food trades assistants nec
  • Footwear production machine operator
  • Forester (AUS) / Forest scientist (NZ)
  • Forestry worker
  • Fruit and vegetable factory worker
  • Fruit and vegetable packer
  • Fruit or nut farm worker
  • Fruit or Nut Grower
  • Fruit or nut picker
  • Furniture finisher
  • Gardener (general)
  • Goat farmer
  • Grain mill worker
  • Grain, oilseed or pasture farm worker (AUS) / Field crop farm worker (NZ)
  • Grain, Oilseed or Pasture Grower / Field Crop Grower
  • Grape Grower
  • Greenskeeper
  • Hide and skin processing machines operators
  • Hide and skin processing worker
  • Horse breeder
  • Horse groomer
  • Horticultural nursery assistant
  • Hunter-trapper
  • Kennel hand
  • Knitting machine operator
  • Landscape gardener
  • Livestock farm workers nec
  • Livestock farmers
  • Logging assistant
  • Logging plant operator
  • Marine biologist
  • Marine transport professionals nec
  • Master fisher
  • Meat boner and slicer
  • Meat inspector
  • Meat packer
  • Meat process worker
  • Medical laboratory technician
  • Medical technician nec
  • Mixed crop and livestock farm worker
  • Mixed crop and livestock farmer
  • Mixed Crop Farmer
  • Mixed livestock farm worker
  • Mixed livestock farmer
  • Mushroom picker
  • Nurserypersons
  • Operating theatre technician
  • Other wood processing machine operator nec
  • Paper and pulp mill operator
  • Paper products machine operator
  • Park ranger
  • Pastrycook
  • Pastrycook’s assistant
  • Pathology collector / phlebotomist
  • Pest controller
  • Pet groomer
  • Pharmacy technician
  • Picture framer
  • Pig farmer
  • Poultry farm worker
  • Poultry farmer
  • Poultry process worker
  • Primary products inspectors nec
  • Production manager (forestry)
  • Quarantine officer
  • Saw maker and repairer
  • Sawmill or timber yard worker
  • Sawmilling operator
  • Seafood packer
  • Seafood process worker
  • Shearer
  • Sheep farm worker
  • Sheep farmer
  • Ship’s engineer
  • Ship’s master
  • Ship’s officer
  • Ship’s surveyor
  • Shipwright
  • Slaughterer
  • Stablehand
  • Sugar Cane Grower
  • Sugar mill worker
  • Tanker driver
  • Textile and footwear production machine operators nec
  • Textile dyeing and finishing machine operator
  • Tree faller
  • Turf Grower
  • Vegetable farm worker (AUS) / Market garden worker (NZ)
  • Vegetable Grower (Aus) / Market Gardener (NZ)
  • Vegetable picker
  • Veterinarian
  • Veterinary nurse
  • Vineyard worker
  • Weaving machine operator
  • Wine maker
  • Winery cellar hand
  • Wood and wood products factory worker
  • Wood machinist
  • Wood machinist and other wood trades workers nec
  • Wood turner
  • Wool buyer
  • Wool classer
  • Wool handler
  • Yard carding and spinning machine operator
  • Zookeeper

The team of Wellington immigration lawyers at IDESI LEGAL have the training and experience to help with one off 2021 residence visas. Call 04 461 6018 for expert visa application support.

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