New Zealand: Changes to the Parent Resident Category Visa Forthcoming

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) announced the resumption of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) selections and new rules that will benefit applicants of the Parent Resident Visa Category. The selection process will be split into two streams, namely for EOIs lodged before October 12, 2022, and EOIs lodged after. INZ will make its first selection of EOIs since the program was paused in 2016 on November 14, 2022, for EOIs submitted before October 12, 2022, and will continue to hold regular selections every three months after that. EOIs submitted after October 12, 2022, will enter a ballot, with selections commencing in August 2023. New Zealand residents and citizens who have lived in the country for at least three years are eligible to sponsor their parent’s application for residence if they meet the relevant income threshold, among other requirements. INZ will increase the quota for available visas under the Parent Resident Visa Category to 2,500, up from the current 1,000 available visas. Sponsors will benefit from a lower income threshold and the expansion of the joint sponsorship arrangements that will allow two adult children to combine their income when calculating for the relevant income threshold, rather than only their partner. INZ is expected to move the EOI process online starting May 2023.