Immigration New Zealand have announced that a number of occupations (including child care workers, beauty therapists, travel consultants, personal care assistants and bookkeepers) have been upgraded from skill level 4 or 5 to skill level 1-3 in the new version of ANZSCO (the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations).
Although INZ will not be using the new version of ANZSCO to assess visa applications until mid 2020, the occupations that have been upgraded will now be treated as exceptions and INZ will consider these occupations as skill level 1-3 with immediate effect, provided the role pays at least the New Zealand median income.
The New Zealand median income is currently $25 per hour ($52,000 for a 40 hour week) but will increase to $25.50 ($53,040) soon.
What does this mean for temporary work and skilled migrant visas?
Occupations which have been “upgraded” to skill level 1-3 may now be eligible for skilled employment points under the Skilled Migrant Category or be classified as mid-skilled for an Essential Skills Work Visa, as long as the applicant earns at least the New Zealand median income. If you want to find out if you are eligible, take our Eligibility Assessment.
And if you have already submitted an Essential Skills Work Visa application for one of the roles considered to be an exception, INZ will now assess it as skill level 1-3 (as long as it pays at least the median income).
However, if a role is listed as an exception but does not pay the median wage, it will continue to be classified as skill level 4 or 5.
Which occupations have been upgraded?
The occupations which have been upgraded from skill level 4 or 5 to skill level 1-3 are as follows:
ANZSCO code and occupation
| 421111 Child Care Worker
421112 Family Day Care Worker 421114 Out of School Hours Care Worker 422116 Teachers’ Aide 423411 Child or Youth Residential Care Assistant 423413 Refuge Worker 451111 Beauty Therapist 451412 Tour Guide 451612 Travel Consultant 451811 Civil Celebrant 452211 Bungy Jump Master 452212 Fishing Guide 452213 Hunting Guide 452214 Mountain or Glacier Guide 452215 Outdoor Adventure Instructor 452216 Trekking Guide 452217 Whitewater Rafting Guide 452299 Outdoor Adventure Guides nec
|
551211 Bookkeeper
552111 Bank Worker 552211 Credit or Loans Officer 711211 Industrial Spraypainter 711311 Paper Products Machine Operator 711313 Sawmilling Operator 711611 Sewing Machinist 711711 Footwear Production Machine Operator 711712 Hide and Skin Processing Machine Operator 711713 Knitting Machine Operator 711714 Textile Dyeing and Finishing Machine Operator 711715 Weaving Machine Operator 711716 Yarn Carding and Spinning Machine Operator 711799 Textile and Footwear Production Machine Operators nec
|
712111 Crane, Hoist or Lift Operator
712916 Paper and Pulp Mill Operator 712921 Waste Water or Water Plant Operator 721112 Logging Plant Operator 721913 Paving Plant Operator 731311 Train Driver 821711 Construction Rigger 423313 Personal Care Assistant 452311 Diving Instructor (Open Water) 591212 Import-Export Clerk 599611 Insurance Investigator 599612 Insurance Loss Adjuster |
This list can be found on the Immigration New Zealand website.
What if I currently hold a work visa for one of these occupations?
If you already hold a work visa, the skill level of your job will remain the same for the duration of your visa.
What does this mean for me?
We can assess if this change means you are now eligible for a mid-skilled Essential Skills Work Visa or a Skilled Migrant Resident Visa. If you want to find out, fill out our Eligibility Assessment.
