15.05.03 Special
offer For Asian, Middle East and
other applicants with poor visa-free travel
opportunity wishing to live and
work in Europe: easy immigration and relocation in
Switzerland. more
24.03.04 Special
offer For citizens with poor visa-free travel opportunity
wishing to reside in European Union. more
New
Zealand Through
History.
The Polynesian Maori
reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In
1840, their chieftains entered into a
compact with Britain, the Treaty of
Waitangi, in which they ceded
sovereignty to Queen Victoria while
retaining territorial rights. In that
same year, the British began the first
organized colonial settlement. A
series of land wars between 1843
and 1872 ended with the defeat of
the native peoples. The British
colony of New Zealand became an
independent dominion in 1907 and
supported the UK militarily in both
World Wars. New Zealand's full
participation in a number of defense
alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In
recent years, the government has
sought to address longstanding
Maori grievances.
Since 1984 the government has accomplished
major economic restructuring, transforming
New Zealand from an agrarian economy
dependent on concessionary British
market access to a more
industrialized, free market economy
that can compete globally. This
dynamic growth has boosted real
incomes (but left behind many at the
bottom of the ladder), broadened and
deepened the technological
capabilities of the industrial sector,
and contained inflationary pressures.
While per capita incomes have been
rising, however, they remain below
the level of the four largest EU
economies, and there is some
government concern that New
Zealand is not closing the gap. New
Zealand is heavily dependent on
trade - particularly in agricultural
products - to drive growth, and it has
been affected by the global
economic slowdown and the slump
in commodity prices. Thus far the
New Zealand economy has been
relatively resilient, although growth
may slow to 2.5% in 2003.
Economy:
facts and figures. GDP
(2002): U.S.$50.2 billion. Real annual
GDP growth rate (2002):
3.2%. Per capita income
(2002): U.S.$12,804. Natural
resources: Timber, natural gas, iron sand,
coal. Agriculture (9.7% of GDP):
Products - meat, dairy products,
forestry products. Industry
(46.1% of GDP): Types-- food processing,
textiles, machinery, transport
equipment. Trade (2001-02): Exports -
US$13.9 billion: meat, dairy products,
forest/wood/paper products, metals,
fruit, machinery and equipment.
Major markets--Australia, U.S.,
Japan, U.K. Imports--U.S.$13.7
billion: machinery and equipment,
vehicles, plastics, mineral fuels,
petroleum, medical equipment. Major
suppliers--Australia, U.S., Japan,
China.
Foreign
relations.
New
Zealand's foreign policy is oriented chiefly
toward developed democratic nations and
emerging Pacific economies. The country's
major political parties generally have
agreed on the broad outlines of
foreign policy, and the current
coalition government has been active
in multilateral fora on issues of
recurring interest to New
Zealand-- trade liberalization, environment,
and arms control. New Zealand values
the United Nations and its
participation in that organization.
It
also values its participation in the World
Trade Organization (WTO); World Bank;
International Monetary Fund (IMF);
Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD); International
Energy Agency; Asian Development
Bank; South Pacific Forum; The
Pacific Community; Colombo Plan;
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC); INTELSAT; and the
International Whaling Commission.
New Zealand also is an active
member of the Commonwealth.
Despite the 1985 rupture in the
ANZUS alliance, New Zealand has
maintained good working relations
with the United States and Australia
on a broad array of international
issues.
In
the past, New Zealand's geographic isolation
and its agricultural economy's general
prosperity tended to minimize public
interest in world affairs. However,
growing global trade and other
international economic events have
made New Zealanders increasingly
aware of their country's dependence
on stable overseas markets.
New
Zealand's economic involvement with Asia has
been increasingly important through
expanding trade with the growing economies
of Asia. New Zealand is a "dialogue partner"
with the Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) and an
active participant in APEC.
As
a charter member of the Colombo Plan, New
Zealand has provided Asian countries with
technical assistance and capital. It also
contributes through the Asian
Development Bank and through UN
programs and is a member of the UN
Economic and Social Council for
Asia and the Pacific.
New
Zealand has focused its bilateral economic
assistance resources on projects in the
South Pacific island states, especially on
Bougainville. In 1971, New
Zealand joined the other independent and
self-governing states of the South
Pacific to establish the South Pacific
Forum (now known as the Pacific
Islands Forum), which meets
annually at the "heads of
government" level.
New
Zealand
Immigration.Background and Legal
Considerations.
General Skills
Category. To be considered under this
category you need to be of good health, good character,
have a reasonable standard of English and be no older
than 55 years of age. You will also need to meet the
threshold of 100 points to register an Expression of
Interest.
Expressions of Interest submitted over
a number of weeks will be pooled and ranked from highest
to lowest points. It is not a case of first in, first
served. NZIS will prioritize Expressions of Interest in
terms of points claimed and, following some checking.
Those with the top points will be invited to lodge an
application for residence. If your Expression of
Interest is not selected from the pool the first time it
will remain in the pool for three months. If it is still
unsuccessful, NZIS will tell you that your Expression of
Interest has been withdrawn from the pool. You can lodge
another Expression of Interest if you wish
to.
The points system is designed to allow
Expressions of Interest to be ranked so that the New
Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS) can extend
invitations to apply for residence to those who have the
most to offer New Zealand. Points are available for
skilled employment in New Zealand, work experience,
qualifications and age. Bonus points are available for
employment, work experience and qualifications in
identified areas of growth or absolute skill shortage or
within identified clusters. Bonus points are also
available for employment outside Auckland and for New
Zealand qualifications gained in New Zealand over at
least two years. Your partner’s employment and
qualification can also gain bonus points.
NZIS
will assess your application for residence against
Government residence policy and look at your ability to
settle successfully and make a real contribution to New
Zealand's social and economic development. NZIS will
also undertake further verification of some of the
information you have provided in your Expression of
Interest. Depending on how you are able to demonstrate
your ability to settle in New Zealand successfully, your
application can be approved with a residence visa or
permit or a visa or permit which enables you to move
from work to residence. It is then over to you to
confirm your decision to come to New
Zealand.
Business
Categories. The objective of the business
immigration policy is to attract migrants who will
contribute to economic growth
through:
increasing New Zealand's
level of human capital, encouraging enterprise and
innovation, andfostering
external links.
There are
currently four business categories
available:
Investor
Category. The Investor
Category is a points based system. This means you score
points based on a number of factors such as age,
business experience and investment funds. Your
application will only be successful if you score
sufficient points to meet the pass
mark.
Entrepreneur Category. You may apply
under the Entrepreneur Category if you have successfully
established a business in New Zealand for a period of at
least two years.
Long Term Business
Visa/Permit. You may apply for a Long Term
Business Visa/Permit if you are interested in applying
for residence under the Entrepreneur Category. You may
also apply under this category if you are interested in
establishing a business in New Zealand but do not wish
to live permanently in New Zealand. This is not a
residence policy. You will be granted a work visa or
permit for up to three years if your application is
successful.
Employees of Relocating
Businesses. You may apply under the Employees of
Relocating Businesses category if you are a key employee
of a business relocating to New Zealand. This category
is set up to assist the promotion of New Zealand as a
place in which to invest and locate business, by
facilitating the granting of residence to employees of
businesses relocating to New
Zealand.
Family
Category. The objective of Family Category Policy
is to strengthen families and communities, while
reinforcing the Government's overall objectives in
immigration policy. The Family Category is
available to you if you:
are in a
genuine and stable marriage or de facto relationship
(whether heterosexual or same sex)with a New Zealand
citizen or resident who sponsors their application; or
have
immediate family members who are New Zealand citizens or
residents and who live permanently in New Zealand; and
are the
dependent children of New Zealand citizens or
residents.
Family Quota
Category. The Family Quota Category is available
to those applicants:
who are not eligible for
residence under any other category of
residence policy and who are sponsored by a family
member who is a New Zealand citizen or
resident living permanently in New
Zealand,whose sponsor's registration is
drawn from the pool of people who have
registered as sponsors under the
Family.
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