Unlocking PR (Permanent Residency) in New Zealand: Your Path After Study

Every international student loves to study and eventually settle in their dream country. If you are one of those who want to enjoy a peaceful life, you can get a PR in New Zealand after study completion. 

The permanent residency is given on point systems, which are your age, academic qualification, work experience, and industry associated with. Among ways to get PR in New Zealand, some are multiple visa options such as work visas, partner visas, entrepreneur resident visas, etc.

However, the best option to get PR is through a Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa. This category allows you to apply your Expression of Interest, and after the authorities evaluate your submitted profile and inform you about the results within 2 weeks.

5 Key Benefits of Having a Permanent Residence VISA in New Zealand

International students who get permanent residence visa in New Zealand, enjoy many social and financial benefits just like native citizens. One of the most convincing benefits are:

1. Live Permanently: Getting PR in New Zealand allows you to move and reside freely just as a citizen.
2. No Work Restriction: You can enjoy greater career opportunities and do not need other temporary visas.
3. Path to Citizenship: After fulfilling the criteria, you become a citizen, including voting rights and eligibility for certain government jobs.
4. Social Security and Healthcare: You qualify for social security benefits like unemployment assistance and subsidized healthcare.
5. Freedom of Traveling:  You can freely in and out of the country without requiring special travel permits.

Types of Post-Study Work Visa in New Zealand

International students who completed their tertiary education can apply for a Post-Study Work Visa in New Zealand. The country appreciates the brightest minds to fulfill in-demand jobs after studies. There are two types of post-study work visas, which are as:

• Specific Purpose Work Visa: This post-study work visa type is only for those international students with a valid job offer from an authorized employer. 

• Accredited Employer Work Visa: This post-study work visa type is for those with certain professional expertise who want to stay for a specific event, such as sports coaching. 

Besides these visa types, international students must consider their eligiblity for a post-study work visa, which mainly depends on their degree level. In easier words, your degree or qualification studies in NZ must be at least level four according to the NZQA.

Understanding the New Zealand PR Points System

New Zealand’s permanent residency system is highly transparent and easier to understand. You can submit applications PR in New Zealand under the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa, which is completely based on a points system. 

To make it easier to understand, you will be awarded points for factors such as qualifications, annual income, and occupational registration. Each of these factors will make up a total score that should be no less than 6 points and fall under the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa. 

That’s not it, you become eligible for this visa type, and you also need a valid job offer from an employer. Not only this, you can get up to 1 point for each year (maximum 3 points) of skilled work done in New Zealand.

For international students, New Zealand’s PR pathway is an incredible opportunity to complete their studies, work afterward their studies, and get permanent residency to settle permanently in the world’s most peaceful country.

New Zealand PR Visa Requirements

Bangladeshi students are required to meet the New Zealand visa requirements to become eligible for its permanent residency program. Besides that, if you have any relative or blood relation in  New Zealand, the process becomes much easier. The requirements are:

• You must be 55 years old or younger at the time of application.
• You must have a minimum of 2 years of experience and relevant documents for proof.
• You need to score at least 60 points on the Immigration New Zealand Skill Selection points system.
• You must have a job offer from an accredited employer in New Zealand or be able to demonstrate skilled employment experience in New Zealand.
• All your family members in the application must have met the health requirements.
• All your family members in the application must have good character.
• You must have sufficient English language skills to meet the required score on an approved English language test.
• You must meet skilled employment pathway, requirements.
• You must have sufficient funds to support yourself upon arrival in New Zealand.
• You must include your partner and dependent children in your PR visa application.

Essential Documents for New Zealand PR Visa Application

If you are applying for PR in New Zealand for International Students, make sure you have the following documents:

• A valid Passport
• Your Identity Card or other relevant proof of your identity. 
• Evidence of your current visa status. 
• In case you are in a relationship, provide relevant documents for proof.
• English Proficiency Test certificates.
• Academic certificates along with evidence of work experience.
• Police certificates from countries where you have lived for more than 12 months in the past 10 years. 

After you have gathered all the relevant documents, you will need to fill out the application form, and a fee has to be paid before applying for this Visa, which is approximately NZ$ 240.

How Can I Apply for PR in New Zealand? 

You can start your New Zealand PR Application if you have had a resident visa for more than 2 years. It takes almost 2 weeks for your application to process. With this, you can live, work, and study in New Zealand. Follow these steps to apply for permanent residency in New Zealand online:

• Meet all the eligibility requirements. 
• Submit an Expression of Interest.
• Wait for some time till they reply. 
• Gather all the necessary documents as mentioned above. 
• Complete the PR application form. 
• Approval of PR Visa. 

The estimated time of approval after the submission of the application varies depending on the type of visa you opt for. A Business Visa may take somewhere between 8 to 10 months while a Skilled Migrant Category Visa may arrive within 3 weeks. 

Is it Easy to Get PR in New Zealand?

Yes, it is very easy to get PR in New Zealand. This is particularly because there is no deception allowed in this process. The points-based system is pretty transparent and everyone can strive for it equally. 

The easiest way to get permanent residency here is through a Skilled Migrant visa. Apart from that, if you are related to or are in a relationship with someone who is a resident or citizen of New Zealand, you will also be able to get this visa easily. International students can also get this easily after they have met the eligibility requirements for the process. 

A minimum of 7 to 10 months is required to get PR in New Zealand. Apart from that, the processing time also depends upon several other factors. These include the accuracy of the information provided, the completeness of your application form, and the number of applications being processed at the said time.