Auckland’s two recent lockdowns and the limitations of working from home have been blamed for the delays in visa processing, RNZ reports. Records show the oldest applications date back to July 2019, and migrants tracking the skilled migrant (SMC) queue for applicants – now treated as ‘non-priority’ – say it has only moved one day in four weeks. Fears loom among applicants that the delays signal a slowing-down ahead of a review announced by Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi in February. However, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is firm that it was making “steady and regular” progress in the non-priority queue, which includes skilled workers who earn less than $106,080 a year or whose job does not need occupational registration.
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