Ref: 1920-1748

 

Dear Junlong,

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 11 June 2020 requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

 

1. How many case officers are assigned to process SMC visa application,
and how many out of them are assigned to look after the non-priority
queue?

 

2. As of the date this request is answered, how many applications waiting
for allocation are tagged as prioritised?

 

3. I am aware that INZ started the priority criteria for SMC, so how many
non-prioritised applications get approved in each month since then until
May 2020?

 

4. As replied somewhere else, the allocation of priority queue is at Nov
2019, could you please explain why I have heard quite a few applications
got prioritised after Nov 2019 have been allocated and approved already?
How is Nov 2019 calculated as the result for those replies?

 

5. Since Aug 2019, non-priority queue almost stays still until now, based
on this pace, it will take decades to get the current applications on hand
(around 30,000) approved, is there any plan in discussion to mitigate this
situation?

 

 

Your request is being processed in accordance with the Act and a response
will be sent to you in due course.

 

Please note, due to ongoing COVID-19 response work, requests are currently
being triaged and those relating to Covid-19 processed as a priority.
Remaining requests are being assessed as per the Ombudsman’s guidance
(which can be found here:
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/news/chief-ombudsmans-statement-official-information-response-times-during-covid-19-emergency)
and processed accordingly.

 

If you have any enquiries regarding your request, or its urgency, feel
free to contact us via email at [2][MBIE request email].

 

Nâku noa, nâ

MINISTERIAL SERVICES

 

Corporate, Governance and Information

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

Level 4, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

[3]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

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References

Visible links
1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/news/...
2. mailto:[MBIE request email]
3. http://www.govt.nz/

Greetings Junlong

 

I have been allocated this OIA for action.

 

Before proceeding, are you able to clarify part three of your request?

 

As noted below, you have requested numbers of non-prioritised applications
each month since INZ started the priority criteria until May 2020. Are you
referring to the latest priority criteria effective 24 February 2020?

 

Kind Regards

 

Ileini

 

From: Junlong [mailto:[FOI #13078 email]]
Sent: Thursday, 11 June 2020 10:09 p.m.
To: *OIA
Subject: Official Information request - INZ Staff capacity on Skilled
Migrant Category application

 

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

 

I am residing in New Zealand at the moment, and I have provided the proof
in other Requests a few days ago. In this request, I would like to request
information about Skilled Migrant Category visa application as below:

 

1. How many case officers are assigned to process SMC visa application,
and how many out of them are assigned to look after the non-priority
queue?

 

2. As of the date this request is answered, how many applications waiting
for allocation are tagged as prioritised?

 

3. I am aware that INZ started the priority criteria for SMC, so how many
non-prioritised applications get approved in each month since then until
May 2020?

 

4. As replied somewhere else, the allocation of priority queue is at Nov
2019, could you please explain why I have heard quite a few applications
got prioritised after Nov 2019 have been allocated and approved already?
How is Nov 2019 calculated as the result for those replies?

 

5. Since Aug 2019, non-priority queue almost stays still until now, based
on this pace, it will take decades to get the current applications on hand
(around 30,000) approved, is there any plan in discussion to mitigate this
situation?

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Junlong

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[1][FOI #13078 email]

 

Is [2][MBIE request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests
to Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment? If so, please
contact us using this form:

[3]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[4]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[5]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #13078 email]
2. mailto:[MBIE request email]
3. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
4. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
5. http://www.govt.nz/

Greetings Junlong Wang

Please note the new date is now the 13th July 2020.

Kind Regards

Ileini

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Dear Junlong

Thank you for your email, just to avoid confusion, I have noted you have responded to my email on Monday as attached.

Regards

Ileini

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Greetings Junlong

 

Please be advised that the due date for our response to your official
information request has been extended.

 

Please find extension letter attached.

 

Regards

 

Ileini Taloa

Business Advisor

 

Border and Visa Operations Branch, Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

[1][email address]

Level 1, 15 Sout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6011

 

[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

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References

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1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.govt.nz/

Greetings Junlong

 

Please find response to your official information request attached.

 

Regards

 

 

Ileini Taloa

Business Advisor

 

Border and Visa Operations Branch, Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

[1][email address]

Level 1, 15 Sout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6011

 

[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.govt.nz/

Hi Junlong

Thank you for your email received.

As mentioned on the OIA response, 72 immigration officer process applications from both priority and non-priority queue.

There is no dedicated team assigned to either queue as Immigration officers receive a mix allocation of skilled residence applications to process.

Kind Regards

Ileini

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Greetings Junlong

Over the last year, demand for the skilled residence applications has risen significantly and the number of on hand applications has increased considerably. This has resulted in longer decision times for applicants.

Residence applications generally take longer to process than temporary applications as a residence visa allows an individual to reside in New Zealand permanently. Therefore, there is greater scrutiny of each application, which means processing times will be longer and the allocation of new applications to an immigration officer may also take longer.

As mentioned previously all 72 immigration officers process all skilled residence applications. This did not change when the priority criteria changed.

Kind Regards

Ileini

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Greetings Junlong

Thank you for your email received however obtaining and preparing stats for release is quite an involved process, and therefore needs to go through the OIA process.

Kind Regards

Ileini

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