Two Pacific islands visa categories have been reopened by the Government with the aim of helping boost New Zealand's workforce amid labour shortages.
The Samoan Quota and the Pacific Access Category will reopen in October after they were suspended at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Both visas are operated on a ballot system. If a person's registration form is drawn from the ballot, they may be invited to apply for New Zealand residency, and their residency application will be considered if they apply within eight months of being invited to do so.
Immigration Minister Michael Wood said: "This is a major milestone as the Pacific Access Category and the Samoan Quota are longstanding visa categories that enable people from our Pacific partner countries to become residents of New Zealand.
"It recognises the historical relationship between New Zealand and Pacific, and we are thrilled to see these categories opening again to our Pacific neighbours.
"Collectively these pathways will provide for up to 5900 people to become residents over the next two years, helping reduce the impact of global labour shortages and help grow our economy."
The Samoan Quota Resident Visa is available to 1100 Samoan citizens aged 18-45 each year, and the Pacific Access Category Resident Visa is available to 250 Tongan citizens, 250 Fijian citizens, 75 Kiribati citizens, and 75 Tuvaluan citizens each year. Applicants must also be aged 18-45.
Wood explained that the 5900 places over the next two years includes unused places from the ballots that were cancelled due to Covid in 2020 and 2021.
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"The Pacific Access Category unused ballots will be re-allocated across the 2022 and 2023 years, while the Samoan Quota ballots will be re-allocated over the four years from 2022 to 2025," he said. "We look forward to welcoming more of our Pacific neighbours through these residence pathways."
Registration for the ballots will be primarily online, which Wood hopes will "see a quicker and more streamlined process for registrants".
"We also recognise the impact the move to online will have in some circumstances, and work has been done to ensure there are resources available to ensure registrants have all the information they need to apply online with ease."
Registrations for the Samoan Quota will be be open from October 3 to November 2, and registrations for the Pacific Access Category will be open from October 5 to November 4.
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