The Year Ahead For Migrants

I am not sure about you, but the beginning of a new year, brings mixed feelings…there is the hopeful optimism of a full year ahead with all the potential opportunities it might bring, and then of course the post-holiday hangover, and having to pull yourself away from the beach and barbecue and back to reality.

This time of the year also brings about a lot of interest from those looking to make the move, typically because its the start of the year and there is something about doing dramatic, life-changing things at the start of a year, that makes sense for a lot of people. I get it…you have had time away from the daily grind and to contemplate whether a life abroad might be the next big step.

For those of you who have made that decision, then this article is for you. Of course if you are already here, there will be some useful information in here as well, but this is really aimed at the new years resolutions folks - the ones who have decided that 2025 is the year to move ahead with their plans to make New Zealand home.

The Visa Landscape

Late last year we had a raft of changes announced, most of which, we will see drip-fed through the system this year. Most of these changes were focused on the Work Visa system, which of course is often a precursor to changes occuring in the Skilled Migrant Category space as the two visa categories are closely linked.

One item that will definitely need to be considered as part of the Skilled Migrant Category review is the use of the median wage. For Work Visas, this is being removed at some stage this year, with INZ relying more on market rates to ensure migrants are being paid at the right level. Given we have a completely different median wage for the Skilled Migrant pathway, that will need to adjust. Already there is a disconnect between the two systems and rates used, which means there will be some applicants working towards Residence, but on the wrong median wage.

In addition we know that the Investor Category pathway is going to change and relatively soon. The current system is overly complicated, misses the point in terms of the longer term gains and has been a complete failure by all accounts. What we will end up, with likely be a more balanced version between the previous investor policy and the current one.

We also expect further changes to the Accreditation system for employers, hopefully removing more of the onerous compliance obligations and making job checks for larger and more established companies a lot simpler. The changes we have seen thus far are a clear admission that the AEWV system was well intentioned but poorly rolled out and although we can’t go back to previous versions of the policy (because of the money spent on IT systems to roll out the AEWV), the current rules will be heavily modified to bring it back to basics.

In terms of processing and timelines, we are seeing things speed up, particularly in the Work Visa space. Well prepared job checks are getting through in a couple of weeks and work visas with all the right documentation and details, are following a similar timeline. Not all are processed that quickly of course, but things have certainly improved since mid-2024.

Overall we see things getting a little easier, more efficient and hopefully with changes to the Skilled Migrant pathways, more sensible.

The Job Search Challenge

The biggest challenge for migrants looking to head this way, is going to be tackling the job market, because whilst unemployment remains relatively low (compared to many other countries), employers are taking a relatively conservative approach. There has been a lot of negative press in terms of visa processes and the Accreditation scheme and this has made many employers slightly wary of engaging with applicants that require visa support.

Patience & Perseverance

For the migrant job seeker, 2025 will be challenging…not impossible, but it will require more effort and strategy than before.

Economically New Zealand is still facing headwinds, but with interest rates continuing to fall (and likely to fall throughout the year) there is a growing sense of optimism - slow to be sure, but relatively steady.

We have seen a number of our commercial clients, coming back to life and looking to recruit new talent, which is a good sign.

The reality is that the job search process for migrants, is never easy, regardless of the market or economic conditions and for those that approach the process in the right way and put in the right amount of effort, jobs are available. There are still shortages across a variety of industries, it just takes a bit longer to break through, as compared to two or three years ago.

If you are considering the move, and obviously need a job as part of the process, you are going to need to be strategic, deploy all the tools you have and be persistent. Simply filing online applications through Seek or Trademe is not going to get you to where you need to be, so you need to think about how you market yourself, and how you find those roles.

The “hidden” job market is also playing a much larger role. When hiring intentions are less enthusiastic, a lot of employers will be keen to find someone but aren’t necessarily advertising that fact on job sites. So applying to companies that fit your skill set, even if they don’t have roles advertised is a good idea. If they like you, they will engage, but you have to be actively looking for these employers in order to stand a chance.

Overall, the jobs are there, it is just going to be more of a challenge to find them.

The Best Laid Plans

If you are considering the big move, here are my top tips - things to consider when setting out your plan and to prepare for along the way.

Never assume anything, particularly when it comes to your eligibility. Always seek out some professional advice to determine whether you qualify and more specifically the process that will apply to you. Check that your meet all of the necessary criteria or will be able to meet them in time. A good place to start, is with a detailed assessment (try ours online).

Do the right research. It is very easy and very tempting to rely on advice from other migrants, particularly by doom-scrolling through social media groups, however the advice on these sites is almost always wrong and very rarely relevant to you. Get advice, but get the right advice from someone who knows what they are doing.

Be realistic. This move won’t happen overnight and it takes a lot more planning and effort than a weekend away with the family. There will be some very challenging moments along the way and you have to appreciate that no move is ever perfectly planned or timed. Be flexible and prepared enough to deal with the challenges and adjust your plan as you need to.

Stay up to date. Visa rules do change and whilst those changes very rarely knock good quality, skilled applicants off the list, its wise to stay up to date. Make sure you keep abreast of what is going on with the visa process and if you have an adviser, they should be keeping you update as you move along the process.

The job search is hard - be ready. Securing a job offer in another country, when you don’t have a visa is a mountain to climb and it is one part of the process that will humble even the most confident applicant. Be prepared to be clever in the search and don’t expect anyone else to find the perfect role for you. You need to get out there, build connections and work the room (or rooms). Leverage as many connections as you might already have in New Zealand and don’t be afraid to make those calls…fortune favours the bold in this part of the process.

The message to any prospective migrant, looking to make the move to New Zealand is to stay focused on the end goal. There will be and always are challenges as part of this process, perhaps more in recent years than others, but if you persevere, it will work for you. Start by identifying the visa options available, understand what you will need to do to make it work and then stick to a plan but be flexible enough to adjust to changes as they arise.

These are all things we do for clients as they embark on the process, telling them what they need to know, not necessarily what they want to hear.

So, will you be joining us here in New Zealand, in 2025?