Following New Zealand’s move to COVID-19 Alert Level 2, Immigration New Zealand issued new general instructions increasing visa and immigration processing capacity.
Resident Visa Priorities
First priority was given to applicants already in New Zealand, particularly Skilled Migrant Category visa holders and Work to Residence categories — especially those earning above twice the median wage or holding occupational registration.
Temporary Visa Priorities
First priority categories included critical workers for COVID-19 response, urgent humanitarian cases, and anyone currently in New Zealand on a temporary visa.
What This Meant for Applicants
These priority instructions helped clear backlogs and ensure the most urgent cases were processed first during the pandemic recovery period.
Note: This article reflects historical COVID-19 era policy. Current processing priorities may differ. Check immigration.govt.nz for up-to-date information, or contact ProVisas for current guidance.
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