17 February 2017
Opinion
Oz Kiwi can confirm that late last year our Committee members met with senior Department of Immigration officials in Canberra to discuss concessions to the eligibility criteria for the new visa pathway for New Zealanders. We are grateful to those officials for their time, and the respect that we were shown at the meeting.
Our focus of the meeting was to discuss a number of dispensations to the proposed requirements – and believe us, we addressed them all.
Oz Kiwi is extremely pleased and proud to let you know that Bill English and Malcolm Turnbull announced today there will be an income concession for some Kiwis living in Australia. A New Zealander not able to meet the $53,900 income threshold due to a workplace injury or carer responsibilities can still apply for the new visa. We also note the work of John Key over a several years on this new visa.
Although other dispensations have not been announced, we are very hopeful our other requests may also be granted.
We need our supporters to know how incredibly hard the Oz Kiwi team works. Although it may not always be obvious to you, there is an enormous amount of very complex policy and legal work happening behind the scenes.
Thank you for your support, and please stay positive – yes it’s hard sometimes, but sometimes that’s all we have.
Please consider donating. Oz Kiwi is run by volunteers and entirely funded by public donations.
[Watch the Radio NZ video, the new pathway is discussed from 1m 40s].
Clarification of the carers income threshold exemption
We need to clarify the announcement yesterday of an exemption for people who are carers. Oz Kiwi understand that this refers to those who are caring for a disabled, elderly or sick [family member]. Please note the finer details of the exemptions are still to be announced.
From the Sky news report:
“There will be a concession for Kiwis living in Australia whose work is interrupted due to a workplace injury or carer responsibilities, and therefore do not able to meet the $53,900 income threshold, they can still apply for the new visa.”
There was already an exemption stated for new mothers/fathers who take leave to look after their own child. Other exemptions are noted e.g. victims of family violence and those people trapped in Australia due to a family court order.
From the Department of Immigration website page:
“If an applicant has been on maternity/paternity leave during the qualifying period, and their income fell below the required threshold, that may be taken into account.
