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MINISTRY OF BUSINESS,
INNOVATION & EMPLOYMENT
HiKINA WHAKATUTUKI
13 February 2020
Deen Joseph
fyi-request-1l984�[email address]
File No: DOIA 1920-1040
Dear Deen Joseph,
Thank you for your email of 06 January 2019, requesting the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the OIA):
"The total number of Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) residence applicants who currently in
queue waiting far a case officer."
Our response
Residence applications natural y take longer to process as there is more at stake and there is greater
scrutiny of each application, which means there is a flow-on effect and the al ocation of new
applications to and immigration officer can take longer.
The last New Zealand Residence Programme ran from 1 July 2018 until 31 December 2019 and included
a planning range of 50,000 to 60,000 residence approvals. The Government is currently reviewing its
approach to the NZRP, and is considering replacing the planning range with a more targeted approach
that focuses on management of specific residence visa types.
As at 23 January 2020 there were a total of 11,525 applications on hand under the Skilled Migrant Category
(SMC). To provide you an accurate number of SMC applications that are currently in a queue waiting to be
allocated to a case officer would require a manual check on each individual application.
We are therefore refusing your request under section 18(f) of the OIA, because the information requested
cannot be made available without substantial collation or research. Providing this information would remove
Ministry staff from their core duties and therefore the greater public interest in the effective and efficient
administration of the public service would not be served. I have considered whether the Ministry would be
able to respond to your request given extra time or the ability to charge for the information requested. I
have concluded that, in both cases, the Ministry's ability to undertake its work would still be prejudiced.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information about
how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
lf you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, please contact Lautalie Leausa Vaa,
Operations Support, Immigration New Zealand at [email address].
Yours Sincerely,
Nicola Hogg
General Manager - Border and Visa Operation
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment