Immigration

Immigration

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There are frequent changes to immigration laws in New Zealand. Of particular importance are laws governing who can give out immigration advice, and compliance with rules relating to the employment of foreign nationals.

Our specialist immigration lawyers have the proven expertise to ensure you comply with relevant law and policy. We have achieved very successful results for employers and migrants across a range of industries.

We provide strategic advice to a wide range of clients, including employers, senior employees and high net worth individuals (both in New Zealand and overseas), on obtaining immigration approvals to enable individuals to live and work in New Zealand. With our proven track record working on complex immigrations matters, we have the expertise to identify the right pathway in the changing immigration framework for you or your employees.

We work collaboratively with businesses to provide immigration solutions which suit their needs. We understand the importance of timing, our expertise ensures your applications are not delayed by missing information or taking unnecessary steps.

With extensive experience working on all levels of immigration matters, we are able to navigate through complex Employer Accreditation applications and streamline visa application processes. As a full-service firm, we have the expertise to manage the common cross over between immigration, employment, and other areas of the law.

We are market leaders in assisting high net worth individuals and family offices with investor visas. We also excel in advising employers and individuals on compliance-related issues, including deportation.

Experience

Major multinational: Advising on employer accreditation issues across complex holding and subsidiary companies.
Various employers and individuals: Obtaining urgent allocation for time sensitive visa applications.
Various holding and subsidiary companies: Advising on visa options for workers from their holding companies to undertake secondments or assignments.
Various accredited employers: assisting with gaining accreditation and job check applications to employ individual and groups of migrant workers including advising on labour market testing and minimum terms of employment.
Various migrants seeking residency: Providing strategic advice on both their short-term and long-term goals in New Zealand, including advising on visa options that provide a path to residence and on pathways to permanent residence.
Various migrants seeking residency: Regularly assisting individuals and their families with applications for residence, including applications under the Skilled Migrant category, Work to Residence category, and Partnership category.
Various high net worth individuals: Assisting numerous high net worth individuals to gain New Zealand visas under the residency by investment programme and then procure property and business assets and set up new businesses whilst remaining tax compliant and efficient in New Zealand and their home country.
Compliance-related issues: Advising employers and individuals on compliance-related issues, including deportation.
New Zealand resident visa-holders: Acting for a family of seven New Zealand resident visa-holders that were under threat of deportation. We prepared lengthy submissions and affidavit evidence and managed to convince Immigration New Zealand to close the case. The family has now been granted permanent residence.

Insights

New Zealand Government confirms relaxed requirements for residency by investment

February 9, 2025

New Zealand: The Prime Minister of New Zealand has just confirmed details of the long-awaited changes to the Active Investor Plus resident visa programme (AIP Programme) which is New Zealand’s residency by investment programme. The changes follow concerns over the current high investment thresholds of the programme and its focus on riskier investments, which has led to a significant decline in applicants as compared to the previous Investor 1 and Investor 2 resident visa programmes. The Government’s changes aim to make the AIP Programme more accessible, while still encouraging meaningful investments in New Zealand's economy.

Accredited Employer Work Visa changes

January 21, 2025

New Zealand: On 17 December 2024, Minister for Immigration Erica Stanford announced a raft of changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme. The changes will be implemented in four different stages over the course of 2025.

Immigrating to New Zealand

January 30, 2024

New Zealand: New Zealand welcomes new migrants, with priority given to people who will contribute to the country by bringing valuable skills or qualifications, setting up a business, or making a financial investment. There are also opportunities for family reunification by allowing residents and citizens to sponsor family members for residence. Anyone who is not a New Zealand resident or Australian national needs a visa to come to New Zealand. If you are looking to set up a business in New Zealand, recruit from overseas, or move to, and work in New Zealand, your decision will be governed by immigration laws and policies.

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