30 January 2024
Y Chen
[FYI request #25131 email]
DOIA 2324-1286
Tēnā koe Y Chen
Thank you for your email of 11 December 2023 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(MBIE) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following information:
Can you please provide information about the Parent Resident Visa Ballot? For the EOI that
have been received after 12 Oct 2022, and as of 11 Dec 2023 after the recent Nov 2023 drawn:
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How many EOI have been received?
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How many applicants are included in those EOI?
•
How many EOI are drawn?
•
How many EOI are active in the pool?
Can you please explain the rationale for the EOI charge of $430 for two year in the pool? The
previous release indicates that there are over 5,000 EOI submitted before July 2023. Does that
mean it costs at least 5000 x $430 = 2.15 million to maintain a ballot? If the $430 includes any
assessment cost for the EOI being selected, then does it mean it imposes unfair cost on the
unlucky applicants who are not selected during the two years?
Our Response
Data on the Parent Resident Visa category, including Expression of Interest (EOI) draws is now being
published and regularly updated on the Immigration New Zealand website, and is available at the
following link: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/common-topics/parent-
resident-visa
Therefore, this part of your request is refused under section 18(d) of the Act as the information
requested is publicly available.
The Parent Resident visa EOI fee was established in 2012, at a rate lower than the EOI for Skilled
Migrant Category as there is less information to assess. Since 2012, the fee rate has increased through
a series of fee and levy reviews reflecting general increases in immigration systems and costs over
time. When decisions were taken in 2022 to reopen the Parent Category and move to a ballot system,
the existing EOI fee was retained. Immigration fees and levy rates are reviewed periodically every two
to three years and fee rates will be assess again in the next review.
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Please note that if an applicant decides to withdraw their EOI, they will be subsequently refunded if
the ballot has not been drawn.
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.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, please contact [email address]
Nāku noa, nā
Libby Gerard
Manager, Border and Funding Policy
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
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