Routes to New Zealand

If you are considering immigrating to New Zealand, but don't know where to start, then this article is for you. The basic process is outlined here with links to all the relevant places on the INZ website.

Please note that this information was gathered from publicly available information on the Immigration New Zealand website. It is summarised here for your information only, SA Going To NZ does not claim to have any knowledge of the immigration process and as such this article is not immigration advice. It is up to you to decide which immigration option is best for you. Although this information is valid at the time of writing, it is important to ensure that it is still so by visiting the INZ site and checking for yourself.
You can do that on the Immigration New Zealand website HERE

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What are the options?

New Zealand has a few different ways for you to immigrate here. We will only highlight the options that are of interest to South Africans here.

The available categories are :

a) Skilled Migrant
b) Business and Investment
c) Family

Let’s look at them in more detail :

Skilled Migrant

The Skilled Migrant category was created to assist New Zealand in filling their employment gaps. Candidates are chosen for their value they can add to the New Zealand work force. This is also the category that most South Africans qualify under.

This category would require you to have work experience and / or qualification in order for you to qualify. You can read more about the requirements of the Skilled Migrant category HERE New Zealand Immigration Service Points System Explained

The next category is the Business and Investor category.

Business and Investor

The Business and Investor category has two distinct streams under which you can apply.

The first is the Business stream where you would buy or start a business in New Zealand. The second is the Investor stream where you invest certain sums of money inside the country for specified amounts of time, after which you are granted residence. Each have their own requirements you would need to fulfill before being accepted. We look at these in more detail in THIS ARTICLE New Zealand Immigration Service Points System Explained

The final category under which South Africans are generally able to immigrate to New Zealand is the Family category.

Family Category

New Zealand is a very family orientated society and the government realises that a strong family bond makes for happy citizens and workers. As such they have created a Family category which allows you to sponsor your family to come and live in New Zealand and gain permanent residence.

There are strict criteria placed on this category and not all your family may eligible. You can read more about the different Family category options in THIS ARTICLE New Zealand Immigration Service Points System Explained
 
 
Applying for Citizenship
 

After you have lived in New Zealand for five years you become eligible to apply for citizenship. You will be required to have spent a certain amount of time in New Zealand during the preceeding five years, have been a model citizen (no convictions), etc. to qualify.

Once you have applied for citizenship, it will be assessed and if approved you become a full New Zealand Citizen with a New Zealand passport and the rights and obligations that go with it.