Immigration experts in Australia and NZ

Absolute News

When it comes to immigration, we are thought leaders and we love to share our expertise and knowledge. Check out our articles, opinion pieces, and recorded webinars. Keep informed with immigration changes as they happen.

Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa

Changes to the Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa

The New Zealand Government announces changes to the Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa, removing the ability to apply for a second MEPV.
New accreditation rules for business sales and mergers

New accreditation rules for business sales and mergers

New Zealand has updated its accreditation and Job Check processes to support AEWV holders and employers during company sales and restructurings, reducing transition disruptions.

China special work visa upgraded

Visa limits have been revised for the China Special Work Visa. These adjustments align the visa with recent New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement updates.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Immigration Minister Michael Wood have announced massive changes in the immigration settings allowing nurses, specialist doctors and midwives immediate residency pathways, among a range of few additional measures.

Immigration New Zealand has made important changes to the variation of conditions or rules of some work visas, including the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and the Essential Skills Work Visa.

2021 Resident Visa prioritisation

Employers who hire foreign skilled migrants take on responsibilities and obligations under New Zealand’s immigration and labour laws. Getting familiar with your responsibilities is crucial so here are some key points to keep in mind.

Employers who hire foreign skilled migrants take on responsibilities and obligations under New Zealand’s immigration and labour laws. Getting familiar with your responsibilities is crucial so here are some key points to keep in mind.

From Thursday 3 November 2022 at 8 pm, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is changing the expression of interest (EOI) form for the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa to give people more time to meet the visa requirements.

Selections of expressions of interest (EOIs) for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (SMC) will resume on 9 November 2022.

Selections for the Parent Resident Visa Category Expressions of Interest (EOIs) are restarting and the number of visas that can be granted each year has increased from 1,000 to 2,500.

Further to the NZ government announcements re. chef qualification requirements and the affect of the medium wage increase, find out further details for employers.

The Government will be removing the qualification requirement for chefs to be hired through an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and for tourism and hospitality businesses, Cabinet has decided to extend the transition towards the full median wage for an additional year from 2023 to 2024.

New Active Investor Plus visa now open

The new Active Investor Plus visa category is now open, replacing the previous Investor 1 and Investor 2 categories which closed in July 2022.

There have been a number of updates in New Zealand this week. In short: for residence class visa applicants, the threshold for determining conditions that may impose significant health costs has increased and vaccination and mask mandates have changed for entering NZ

We are delighted to announce Arno Nothnagel, our NZ director, has been appointed to the board of the New Zealand Association for Migration & Investment (NZAMI).

Featured migration story headline to go here

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Parent Resident Visa: Immigration NZ removes queue cap and clarifies process

From 1 July 2025, changes to the Parent Resident Visa in New Zealand aim to simplify the process and improve chances for applicants in the ballot pool.

English language test dates confirmed for Samoa and Tonga in August 2025

IELTS General Training tests will be held in Samoa on 23 August and Tonga on 29 August 2025. AEWV and residence visa applicants should take this opportunity as no permanent

From 1 July 2025, changes to the Parent Resident Visa in New Zealand aim to simplify the process and improve chances for applicants in the ballot pool.

IELTS General Training tests will be held in Samoa on 23 August and Tonga on 29 August 2025. AEWV and residence visa applicants should take this opportunity as no permanent testing centres exist in these countries.

This guide explains the full AEWV hiring process in New Zealand and what accredited employers must do to remain compliant with immigration and employment standards.

From November 2025, Chinese tourists travelling from Australia with a valid visa will be able to enter New Zealand for up to 3 months using an NZeTA instead of a visitor visa, under a 12-month trial to boost tourism.

From 23 June 2025, qualifications from nine additional countries will be exempt from New Zealand’s International Qualification Assessment (IQA) for certain visas, including the Skilled Migrant Category.

With more New Zealanders moving abroad, employers are turning to skilled migrant workers to maintain business continuity and address critical labour shortages.

Ten new trades will be added to New Zealand’s Green List Work to Residence pathway from 18 August 2025, with updated wage thresholds also applying across skilled residence visa categories

AEWV changes include removing the median wage requirement, lowering experience criteria, updating obligations, and extending visas for lower-skilled workers.

The New Zealand median wage will increase from 28 February 2025, impacting AEWV holders supporting partners and Parent Category sponsorship applications.

From 1 April 2025, changes to the Active Investor Plus Visa will simplify investment categories, expand options, and reduce barriers for investors contributing to New Zealand's economy.

New Zealand’s AEWV reforms streamline visa processes, reduce wage thresholds, and expand interim visa work rights for 2025.

New Zealand’s AEWV reforms streamline visa processes, reduce wage thresholds, and expand interim visa work rights for 2025.

Featured migration story headline to go here

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Parent Resident Visa: Immigration NZ removes queue cap and clarifies process

From 1 July 2025, changes to the Parent Resident Visa in New Zealand aim to simplify the process and improve chances for applicants in the ballot pool.

English language test dates confirmed for Samoa and Tonga in August 2025

IELTS General Training tests will be held in Samoa on 23 August and Tonga on 29 August 2025. AEWV and residence visa applicants should take this opportunity as no permanent

How to hire migrant workers under the AEWV

This guide explains the full AEWV hiring process in New Zealand and what accredited employers must do to remain compliant with immigration and employment standards.

Our NZ Immigration Director, Arno Nothnagel, gave our viewers an overview of the NZ Skilled Residence Pathways

Arno Nothnagel, our NZ Immigration Director, and our special guests Daryl Feast, Principal Consultant – Automotive Specialist, and Andy Bage, Recruitment Consultant for Musterrecruit hosted a webinar about the new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and the impact on employers in the automotive trades industry.

Our immigration experts Arno Nothnagel & Trinity Li provided an update for both employers & individuals regarding recent announcements including border opening and the Employer Nomination Scheme

Arno Nothnagel, our NZ Immigration Director, and Trinity, our NZ Migration Strategist, hosted a webinar to provide further updates on New Zealand’s one-off ‘2021 NZ Resident Visa’.

Arno Nothnagel, our NZ Immigration Director, and Trinity, our NZ Migration Strategist, hosted a webinar to provide further updates on New Zealand’s one-off ‘2021 NZ Resident Visa’.

Arno Nothnagel, our NZ Immigration Director, and our special guest Paul Wheeler, Director & Aged Care Recruitment Specialist at Carejobz, hosted a webinar to provide insights about the opportunities for Qualified Aged Care & Healthcare workers in New Zealand

NZ Immigration Update

Arno Nothnagel, our NZ Immigration Director, and Trinity Li, NZ Immigration Agent, hosted a webinar to provide further details on the NZ Government announcement regarding the new one-off ‘2021 NZ Resident Visa’.

2021 NZ Resident Visa

Arno Nothnagel, our NZ Immigration Director, provides further details on the NZ Government announcement regarding the new one-off ‘2021 NZ Resident Visa’.

Featured migration story headline to go here

Ehenducienis am, quis dolorerovid quia que lam, ut opta sita non nonem velesed que sin consedi pidebis volo inulpar chilliquos autatiorequis velesed que sin consedi pidebis volo inulpar chilliquos autatiore, simagnita nonsequia.

Parent Resident Visa: Immigration NZ removes queue cap and clarifies process

From 1 July 2025, changes to the Parent Resident Visa in New Zealand aim to simplify the process and improve chances for applicants in the ballot pool.

English language test dates confirmed for Samoa and Tonga in August 2025

IELTS General Training tests will be held in Samoa on 23 August and Tonga on 29 August 2025. AEWV and residence visa applicants should take this opportunity as no permanent

How to hire migrant workers under the AEWV

This guide explains the full AEWV hiring process in New Zealand and what accredited employers must do to remain compliant with immigration and employment standards.

New travel pathway for Chinese tourists to boost visitor numbers

From November 2025, Chinese tourists travelling from Australia with a valid visa will be able to enter New Zealand for up to 3 months using an NZeTA instead of a

More countries added to NZ qualification exemption list

From 23 June 2025, qualifications from nine additional countries will be exempt from New Zealand’s International Qualification Assessment (IQA) for certain visas, including the Skilled Migrant Category.

NZ Citizens Departing, Migrants Arriving

With more New Zealanders moving abroad, employers are turning to skilled migrant workers to maintain business continuity and address critical labour shortages.

From 1 July 2025, changes to the Parent Resident Visa in New Zealand aim to simplify the process and improve chances for applicants in the ballot pool.

IELTS General Training tests will be held in Samoa on 23 August and Tonga on 29 August 2025. AEWV and residence visa applicants should take this opportunity as no permanent testing centres exist in these countries.

This guide explains the full AEWV hiring process in New Zealand and what accredited employers must do to remain compliant with immigration and employment standards.

From November 2025, Chinese tourists travelling from Australia with a valid visa will be able to enter New Zealand for up to 3 months using an NZeTA instead of a visitor visa, under a 12-month trial to boost tourism.

From 23 June 2025, qualifications from nine additional countries will be exempt from New Zealand’s International Qualification Assessment (IQA) for certain visas, including the Skilled Migrant Category.

With more New Zealanders moving abroad, employers are turning to skilled migrant workers to maintain business continuity and address critical labour shortages.

Ten new trades will be added to New Zealand’s Green List Work to Residence pathway from 18 August 2025, with updated wage thresholds also applying across skilled residence visa categories

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is New Zealand’s main temporary work visa, allowing migrants to work for accredited employers for up to 5 years. As of 2 June 2025, over 150,000 AEWV applications have been approved, with nearly 25,000 accredited employers supporting a dynamic and evolving scheme.

The Parent Boost Visitor Visa allows parents of New Zealand citizens and residents to stay for up to 5 years per visa, supporting family ties without a pathway to residence.

The Specific Purpose Work Visa has been updated to allow longer stays for sports professionals in New Zealand, with new durations based on the level of play.

Budget 2025 aims to grow the economy through private sector incentives, but reduced public support may challenge new migrants. Here is what employers and migrants need to know.

From 26 May 2025, New Zealand will no longer require certified translations for visitor visa applications, bringing its policy in line with Australia

Featured migration story headline to go here

Ehenducienis am, quis dolorerovid quia que lam, ut opta sita non nonem velesed que sin consedi pidebis volo inulpar chilliquos autatiorequis velesed que sin consedi pidebis volo inulpar chilliquos autatiore, simagnita nonsequia.

Parent Resident Visa: Immigration NZ removes queue cap and clarifies process

From 1 July 2025, changes to the Parent Resident Visa in New Zealand aim to simplify the process and improve chances for applicants in the ballot pool.

Following the announcement of sector agreements being introduced, Arno Nothnagel, our NZ Immigration Director, provides us with a quick summary of what and who.

This week Arno Nothnagel, our NZ Immigration Director, recorded a further video update to the AEWV job check and the issues of incorrect job check applications.

Arno Nothnagel recorded a quick 4 minute video to give our NZ employers more information around the Job Check requirement as part of AEWV.

We welcome the news today that the Government has announced the ‘2021 Resident Visa’. This is a one-off visa, simplifying the pathway to residency for approximately 165,000 migrants who are currently in New Zealand.

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