The New Zealand Stream 189 visa is an Australian permanent visa for New Zealand Special Category Visa-holders.
16 November 2018
The Department of Home Affairs has provided information about the number of New Zealand 189 Visas they have processed. Between 1 July 2017 and 30 September 2018:
- 12,817 applications were submitted
- 5,627 visas were granted (44%)
- 606 visas were refused (5%)
Of the 5,627 visas granted, 2,584 were to primary applicants and 3,043 were secondary applicants. At 30 September 2018 there were 6,584 (51%) applications pending.
Interestingly, the highest number of applications (1,091) were processed in June 2018, in time for the end of the 2017-2018 financial year.
Processing times
Reported processing times for the New Zealand 189 Visa, as at November 2018:
- 75 percent applications within 14 months
- 90 percent of applications within 15 months
Current processing times can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Are you eligible?
To be eligible for the New Zealand 189 visa, the primary applicant must:
- be a non-protected Special Category Visa-holder
- have started residing in Australia on or before 19 February 2016
- have resided in Australia for the last five years immediately prior to applying
- have earned taxable income of at least $53,900 in each of the last four financial years, or qualify for an income exemption
- meet the standard health and character and security checks.
Find out more about the eligibility criteria, in particular income exemptions you can’t claim.
