Remuneration thresholds in Skilled Migrant and Essential Skills policies will be increasing on 15 January 2018.
In August 2017, changes to the Skilled Migrant and Essential Skills policies were implemented, aimed at:
ensuring we are attracting migrants who bring the most economic benefits to New Zealand and to improve the skill composition of people gaining residence under the Skilled Migrant Category
striking the right balance between ensuring New Zealanders are at the front of the queue for jobs while preserving access to the temporary migrant skills necessary for New Zealand’s continued economic growth.
The changes included introducing remuneration thresholds to both categories, with the aim of improving the assessment of skill and value to New Zealand.
From 15 January 2018, the following changes will occur in the Skilled Migrant Category:
Threshold
Prior to 15 January
From 15 January
Threshold for skilled employment in an occupation at ANZSCO 1-3
$23.49 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary)
$24.29 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary)
Threshold for skilled employment in an occupation at ANZSCO 4-5, or which is not included in AZNSCO
$35.24 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary)
$36.44 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary)
Threshold to earn bonus points
$46.98 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary)
$48.58 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary)
From 15 January 2018, the following changes will occur in Essential Skills work visa category:
Threshold
Prior to 15 January
From 15 January
Threshold for mid-skilled employment in an occupation at ANZSCO 1-3
$19.97 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary)
$20.65 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary)
Threshold for higher skilled employment in any occupation (including those at ANZSCO 4-5)
$35.24 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary)
$36.44 per hour or above (or the equivalent annual salary)
Why are these changes occurring now?
The thresholds are indexed against the New Zealand median income. As previously announced, remuneration requirements are to be updated at the end of each calendar year based on New Zealand income data (which is released in September). This year the changes have been delayed until January to give employers and migrants enough time to adjust to the new thresholds.
What if I am a current Essential Skills work visa holder and my job does not meet the new threshold? What if I’m an employer and one of my staff hold a current visa but their wage does not meet the new threshold?
Visas that people already hold will not be affected. Changes to the income thresholds will not affect the duration or conditions of visas that have already been granted.
A new application made on or after 15 January will be assessed against the new threshold. This may mean the conditions or visa duration of the next visa could be different. For example a chef paid $20 an hour would currently be considered mid-skilled, as the occupation is ANZSCO level 2 and the pay is above the existing threshold of $19.97. However if he applied for a further visa after 15 January he would be considered low skilled, unless his pay increased to above the new threshold of $20.65.
What if I apply or applied for a work visa under Essential Skills before 15 January 2018, but my application is not decided by then? Will Immigration New Zealand assess my skill level based on the old thresholds or the new ones?
If your application was received by INZ before 15 January 2018, the old thresholds will be used to assess your application and determine your visa application.
If I am an employer who has already advertised and prepared to support an Essential Skills work visa, but the person cannot get his application in before 15 January 2018, what happens then?
If an application is received and accepted after 15 January 2018, the new thresholds will apply, even if (for example) the employment agreement has been signed prior to 15 January 2018.
What happens if I was invited to apply for the Skilled Migrant Category under the old thresholds?
The remuneration thresholds against which you will be assessed are the thresholds in place on the date your expression of interest (EOI) was selected from the Pool, if that selection results in an invitation to apply. For example, if your EOI was selected on 10 January 2018 and you were invited to apply on 20 January 2018, the old remuneration thresholds will apply, even though you weren’t invited to apply until after the new thresholds were introduced.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has completed its annual review of two of the Essential Skills in Demand (ESID) Lists – the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) and the Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL). The Ministry regularly reviews the ESID lists to ensure they meet the changing needs of the labour market, and to preserve opportunities for New Zealanders. If an occupation is on a shortage list, work visa applications for positions in that occupation from suitably qualified and experienced migrants are not subject to an individual labour market test. A labour market test means that an employer must demonstrate that no suitable New Zealanders are available to fill or be trained for each individual position. The lists help provide certainty for employers and potential migrants, and are a useful indicator to potential migrants of skill shortages in New Zealand.
Long Term Skill Shortage List
The LTSSL identifies occupations that have an absolute (sustained and ongoing) shortage of skilled workers both globally and throughout New Zealand. Migrants who gain employment in one of these occupations may be granted a LTSSL Work to Residence or an Essential Skills work visa. Migrants applying for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category may gain bonus points towards their application if they have an offer of employment or work experience in an area of absolute skill shortage identified on the LTSSL.
The outcomes of the review of the LTSSL are to: Remove five occupations Anaesthetist Forest Scientist Pathologist Petroleum Engineer Renal Medicine Specialist
Retain two occupations that were included in the review
Chemical Engineer Materials Engineer
Submissions to add four occupations (Hairdresser, Motorcycle Mechanic, Registered Nurse (Mental Health), and Sports Coach or Instructor) to the LTSSL have been declined.
Immediate Skill Shortage List
The ISSL identifies occupations that have an immediate shortage of skilled workers either throughout New Zealand or in certain regions. Migrants wishing to work in occupations on the ISSL may be granted work visas under Essential Skills instructions if they meet the specified qualifications and/or experience requirements.
(a) only for the Auckland/Upper North Island, Wellington and Canterbury/Upper South Island regions (b) for all regions of New Zealand (c) only for the Auckland/Upper North Island, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Canterbury/Upper South Island and Otago/Southland regions
Remove five occupations
Dental Technician Dentist Medical Laboratory Technician (Phlebotomy and Histology Technicians) Pharmacy Technician Poultry Farmer
Retain five occupations that were included in the review
Cardiologist Ophthalmologist Metal Casting Trades Worker (Foundry Moulder) Registered Nurse (Aged Care) Resident Medical Officer
Submissions to add Hair or Beauty Salon Manager to the ISSL have been declined.
Timing of changes
The ESID List changes will take effect in February 2018. Further work is currently being carried out to review the requirements which migrants need to satisfy to apply for a work visa using the skill shortage lists. This includes a review of qualifications in association with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and some other changes to ensure that the requirements for using the lists are appropriate for the shortages.
Other immigration options
If an occupation is not on a skill shortage list this does not mean that migrants cannot come to New Zealand. Other immigration options are available for employers and prospective migrants. These include:
Essential Skills Work Visa – subject to an employer demonstrating that they have tried to recruit New Zealanders for the position and been unsuccessful
Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa – facilitating recruitment of skilled workers from overseas where the salary is at least NZ$55,000 per annum. This option provides a pathway to residence.
The Canterbury Skills and Employment Hub can facilitate employment of New Zealanders in Canterbury, and if there are no suitable applicants, can facilitate visa applications for migrant workers. Also, the Canterbury Skill Shortage List contains some occupations in shortage for the Canterbury rebuild (in addition those on the ISSL and LTSSL).
The Essential Skills in Demand Lists are reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that the Ministry’s policy is flexible and responsive to changing economic and labour market conditions. As part of the reviews, information is gathered from submissions made by external stakeholders and this is considered alongside economic, labour market, immigration and other relevant data. It is important that the lists reflect genuine skill shortages so New Zealanders are not disadvantaged in seeking employment and training. You can test whether an occupation is on any of the shortage lists by using the skill shortage list checker. This provides information and the requirements for each of the lists.
The Government has made decisions on proposals announced in April to change the settings for temporary migrant workers under the Essential Skills policy.
The changes will support already announced changes to the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) residence policy and strike the right balance between ensuring New Zealanders are at the front of the queue for jobs and preserving access to the temporary migrant labour necessary for New Zealand’s continued economic growth.
The changes follow a consultation exercise and include:
The introduction of remuneration bands to assess the skill level of roles offered to Essential Skills visa applicants
The introduction of a maximum duration of three years for lower-skilled Essential Skills visa holders, after which they will need to spend 12 months outside New Zealand before they can be granted an Essential Skills visa to work in another lower-skilled role, and
Requiring the partners and children of lower-skilled Essential Skills visa holders to meet the requirements for a visa in their own right (they will still have access to short-term visitor visas).
The changes are designed to continue to enable employers to employ temporary migrant workers where there are genuine shortages while ensuring that lower-skilled migrants are clear about their future prospects in New Zealand.
The changes will be introduced on 28 August this year, at the same time as the changes to the SMC.
Detailed information about the application of these policy changes will be available within the next fortnight. That information will be published on the INZ website and will include how the remuneration threshold will be calculated, implications for family members of workers in lower-skilled roles, and how the stand-down period will be applied.
Why are we introducing remuneration bands and what will they be?
Remuneration is an excellent proxy for skills and the introduction of remuneration bands will complement the qualifications and occupation framework (ANZSCO). The bands are:-
Higher-skilled – Any Essential Skills visa holder earning above 1.5 times the New Zealand median full-time income (currently $73,299 per year), regardless of their occupation
Mid-skilled – Any Essential Skills visa holder earning above 85 per cent of the New Zealand median full-time income (currently $41,538 per year), in an occupation classified as ANZSCO Level 1-3, and
Lower-skilled – Any Essential Skills visa holder earning below the mid-skilled remuneration threshold.
The changes mean that overseas workers who are in an occupation classified as ANZSCO level 4-5 will be classified as lower-skilled unless they earn above one and a half times the New Zealand median full-time wage (currently $73,299 per year).
How many lower-skilled Essential Skills visa holders will be affected by the proposals?
Setting the mid-skilled remuneration threshold at 85% of the New Zealand median wage would mean that between 9,700 and 11,800 Essential Skills visa holders at ANZSCO levels 1-3 would be classified as lower-skilled (totalling between 38% and 46% of Essential Skills visa holders at ANZSCO levels 1-3). As at 13 May 2017 there were 11,214 Essential Skills visa holders in occupations at skill levels 4 and 5. While a small number may earn above the higher-skilled threshold we expect the majority to remain lower-skilled under the new definition.
How will employers be able to source the labour they need under the proposals?
Immigration policy is premised on a New Zealanders first approach and employers are required to ensure they are doing all they can to train and employ New Zealanders. However, these changes are not designed to reduce the number of migrants coming in on temporary work visas. Where there are genuine skills shortages, employers will still be able to recruit temporary migrant workers, as long as they can demonstrate there are not New Zealanders available to do the job.
Why has three years been chosen as the maximum duration for lower-skilled Essential Skills work visas?
A maximum duration of three years provides a balance between giving lower-skilled Essential Skills visa holders the opportunity to transition to a higher skilled Essential Skills visa or obtain residence, while also ensuring that migrants with no pathway to residence do not become well-settled in New Zealand. It also provides employers with time to recruit new staff or upskill existing staff to fill the role.
How will the decision to limit lower-skilled Essential Skills visa holders to a maximum initial three-year period affect people already here?
The change will not be applied retrospectively for lower-skilled Essential Skills workers already in New Zealand. The three year maximum duration will start from the date their next lower-skilled Essential Skills visa is granted after the introduction of the changes to the Essential Skills policy.
Why are you restricting the ability of partners and children of lower-skilled migrant workers to come here?
The changes are designed to ensure that lower-skilled migrants are clear about their future prospects in New Zealand. Lower skilled Essential Skills workers will take up employment in New Zealand with a full understanding that they will only be able to bring their family to New Zealand as a short-term visitor, unless they meet visa requirements in their own right. Removing eligibility for open work visas for partners of lower-skilled Essential Skills visa holders will potentially provide more opportunities for local workers to take on those roles. While some lower-skilled Essential Skills visa holders could be discouraged from coming to New Zealand it is not expected to reduce the numbers of principal Essential Skills applicants.
Will the change affect families already here?
Families of lower-skilled Essential Skills visa holders already in New Zealand will be able to remain here for the duration that the Essential Skills visa holder remains legally in New Zealand.
The granting of New Zealand citizenship to tech billionaire Peter Thiel – who failed to meet several criteria – raised questions about our citizenship system. Nikki Macdonald meets some new Kiwis and looks at the rules.
The united nations of New Zealand wait in line.
There's Jose and George; Ailis and Yulia; Ali, Hussain and Muhammad; Rakesh and Deepshikha, Zakariya and Mustafa, and plain old Marie. There are kilts and dhotis; island shirts and gypsy dresses with tinkling bells. Little girls in tutus and tiaras; cargo pants and shiny shot silk.
Black, brown and white they have only one thing in common – they're about to be united as new citizens of a tiny nation at the bottom of the world.
The united nations of New Zealand wait in line to become Kiwi citizens. PHOTO: ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF
This citizenship ceremony at Te Papa is additional to Wellington's standard monthly affair – such is the queue to become a Kiwi in the city in which one-third of residents were born overseas. And it's not just Wellington: 2016 recorded the second-highest number of new citizens since 1949.
"It's a commitment to your future, not a rejection of your past," says deputy mayor Paul Eagle, flanked by a flaccid New Zealand flag.
But some have renounced their birthplace to be here – countries such as India do not allow dual citizenship. Others keep the best of both worlds.
This ceremony is one of hundreds performed by local councils nationwide. New figures obtained by The Dominion Post show the nationalities of new Kiwis vary significantly between regions.
The majority of new citizens (58 per cent) are in the Auckland region, with India the largest country of origin. Wellington and Canterbury's new ranks are dominated by Brits, particularly the English. Filipinos and South Africans also feature highly.
As they take the stage to claim their certificates, you guess at their stories. The nervous young Ethiopian in the crinkled shirt. The elderly woman in a headscarf. That's Nirmal Kaur – she's been here 14 years, sent her three children to study here from Malaysia. Now they're patent attorneys and IT gurus.
"The law is good here," she says. "It does not sway with different people. In some countries, you have to be somebody to be seen."
An English woman has a Kiwi husband and kids and has been eligible for ages, but post-Brexit she decided to let her British citizenship lapse.
On the screen, bow-tied Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne points out that New Zealand residents get many privileges accorded only to citizens in other countries, such as the right to vote. So the decision to become a citizen reflects a lifelong commitment to the country.
There are oaths and affirmations and the national anthem. And a new crop of Kiwis is born.
Meddeline stuck it out at the hospital until the girls arrived, before moving to disability nursing, agency nursing and now nursing administration.
Three agonising years it took to earn enough money, and sort visas, to bring her daughters to New Zealand. Every month, she sent 100kg of goodies – canned food, milk powder, DVDs – to assuage the guilty feeling she was better off than they.
As the process dragged, depression set in.
Then finally, in February 2009, Nyarie and Ashley – by then 13 and 15 – boarded their first plane to join their mother. The three now live together in a small rented home in Lyall Bay.
Nyarie, now 21, still sounds African, but there's an Antipodean edge lacking in her mother's velvet tones. She knew nothing about New Zealand but fitted easily into multicultural Wellington East Girls' College. She and other African pupils started a dance group. She befriended a Maori girl and thought she was American.
Now she's studying a bachelor of tourism management at Victoria University and working as a gym receptionist. She'll do an OE, but sees herself here for a long time.
"Life is just better here."
Which is why, in June, after eight years here, Nyarie ditched her Zimbabwean passport to become a certified New Zealander.
Meddeline, now 44, can't yet commit to that leap. She loves the peace and knowing she doesn't need to wait up when Nyarie and Ashley go into town. And Zimbabwe is now "really, really bad", with no electricity or water for days.
But she still has six siblings there and hopes to spend more time there when the girls are independent. Sometimes, she misses her family's rural homestead, or washing in the river in the sun.
Claire, Clifford and 10-year-old Chloe Lasmarias moved from the Philippines in 2011. Caspian was born in New Zealand so was a citizen by birth. PHOTO: ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF
THE LASMARIAS FAMILY, THE PHILIPPINES
Clifford perches on the "Mr Right" cushion; Claire takes the "Mrs Always Right". As they talk, Chloe, 10 and 4-year-old Caspian munch on mango marshmallows.
The Lasmarias family look like any Kiwi family, at home in their comfortable suburban house.
But it's a world away from Clifford's Philippines upbringing. He was largely a stranger to his parents, as they worked furiously to save for his education. While he went to school in the provinces, his mother worked as an accounts clerk in Manila and his electrician father moved to Saudi Arabia to up his earning potential, later becoming a seaman.
Clifford returned to the world's most densely populated city at age 12. The reunion with his mother was brief – she died of kidney disease two years later. There was no free healthcare and his father exhausted his savings on medication.
"It's really a challenge raising a family back home," Clifford, 38, says. "My parents really made some huge sacrifices."
In spite of everything, the family managed to fund Clifford's university studies in electronics engineering.
Claire's family were more comfortable, but lived a simple life. Her father also worked in Saudi Arabia, as a mechanic, before returning to run a school bus service.
The pair met while at university and married in 2006. They moved in with Claire's parents, pooling resources to pay household costs and employ home help.
They always dreamed of going overseas. Clifford was marketable, with experience in the top Filipino communications companies.
They targeted Singapore, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. A job came up at 2degrees, so Clifford took it.
He arrived in March 2011, knowing no-one, having borrowed to fund the move.
When Claire followed with Chloe in May, she was struck by the low clouds, the cold and wind, and the friendly people. But the biggest culture shock was living on their own for the first time, doing all the chores, making sense of the Kiwi accent.
Candidates only become official Kiwi citizens after they've made an oath or affirmation of allegiance at a public ceremony. PHOTO: ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF
Clifford was used to change and challenge. Claire less so. It was hard, too, when her mother died when Claire was pregnant with Caspian.
But when they became permanent residents and she needed an ear operation, she came to appreciate the value of free healthcare.
"I was really surprised when we were about to leave the hospital – are we really not paying anything?"
It's a big factor in their decision to become New Zealand citizens, Clifford says. "My mum passed away because we did not have the resources."
That, and the powerful passport and more relaxed, family-friendly lifestyle. And the fact Caspian was a Kiwi because he was born here, and Chloe was jealous.
They still miss food and extended family. They speak Tagalog at home and Chloe considers herself both Filipino and Kiwi. But they bought a house a year ago and value their security.
"The future is much brighter here," Claire says.
Phil and Gill Mark originally planned to stay two years. Nine years and two children later they have become Kiwis. Olivia, 3 and Isabella, 1, were born here so were automatic citizens. PHOTO: ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF
THE MARK FAMILY, SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND
At the ceremony, Phil Mark signposted his heritage with a kilt in the tartan of his mother's maiden name, Montgomery. But at home he'd pass for any Wellington hipster, with his Aro Noir T-shirt from boutique brewery Garage Project.
Phil is Northern Irish, having grown up south of Belfast. He's still British enough to define the distance in miles. Gill is Scottish, from Edinburgh. They're outdoorsy – meeting at the canoe club in Dundee, where they both went to university. Phil was studying architecture; Gill medicine.
Phil worked on building sites and did charity work in Namibia. Gill worked in a Dundee hospital, and as a GP registrar. And then they wondered what next. They didn't leave because UK life was grim, it was just a good time for a change.
The wish list was Canada, New Zealand or Australia. New Zealand won and Phil was accepted to complete architecture school at Victoria University.
GPs are on New Zealand's long term skills shortage list, so Gill had no trouble getting a visa, and locum work in Upper Hutt. They drove down from Auckland and remember the harbour view from State Highway One, staying with the practice manager, and Tuesday night pub quiz. It felt like a holiday.
They came in 2008 and planned to stay two years, but the global financial crisis prompted them to stay.
That was nine years ago. They've since bought a house – cold but serviceable. And gained three cats, a dog, 5 chickens and two kids – Olivia, 3 and Isabella, 1.
Phil works for Athfield Architects. It's a 15-minute commute, but he gets to work on creative projects such as Pukeahu War Memorial Park, the kind of work he'd have to move to London for at home.
Gill now works for student health at Victoria University. It's close and family friendly, but she struggles with the ethnic disparities and knowing how to reach Maori and Pasifika students.
The one thing they miss is family.
"I have the sense we are in the right place just now," Gill says. But sick parents could change that.
Getting citizenship was about being a family together, as the girls are automatic Kiwi citizens. The Marks half-pass the true test of loyalty, having supported the All Blacks in the recent Lions tour. But that's only because there were too many English players. All Blacks vs Scotland or Ireland would be a different story.
Life remains a struggle on a chef's wage for Punit D'Souza, his wife Michelle and daughter Myra. PHOTO: MONIQUE FORD/STUFF
THE D'SOUZA FAMILY, INDIA
All Punit D'Souza knew of New Zealand was the boys with willow bats and black caps.
Growing up in Thane, near Mumbai, he wanted to be a chef and to travel. He now considers his family middle class, but not back then. His parents worked in Kuwait for 30 years – his mother for a ticketing agency, his dad fixing elevators. The price for prosperity and education was never seeing your parents.
"They didn't have high qualifications, but managed to do quite a lot. They were quite an inspiration."
Punit, now 30, is a chef at Wellington's Noble Rot wine bar. He lives in a simple flat with his wife Michelle and 16-month-old daughter Myra, and another Indian chef. A double mattress is propped against the living room wall.
Supporting a family on a chef's wage is not easy, Punit says. Michelle and Myra just returned to New Zealand after 1½ years away. Michelle suffered bleeding problems while pregnant and Punit couldn't juggle work and looking after her, so she returned to India, to family support.
Punit at work at Noble Rot. PHOTO: MONIQUE FORD/STUFF
Negotiating immigration has also been a struggle. Punit came on a student visa, to study cheffing at New Plymouth's Western Institute of Technology. He had studied hotel management and got work experience in India and Kuwait. But he wanted to focus on cooking, and was looking for a country offering a possibility of residence. It was 2009 and the recession was biting in Britain – New Zealand looked a good option.
He was stunned by the beauty of Taranaki, and New Zealand's comparatively laid-back kitchens.
He eventually got a job at Wagamama in Wellington, after applying for at least 50 positions. Most didn't want the bother of the immigration paperwork.
Michelle's visa was initially rejected, because immigration officers thought it was a sham marriage.
Punit has worked for many top Wellington restaurants, moving around to learn new techniques. But his dream is to run his own business, starting with a pop-up.
He had to renounce his Indian citizenship to become a Kiwi, but it wasn't so hard. He loves Wellington and its peace and safety.
"I hope one day our situation gets better – that's why we are here. But I have no regrets."
Sravan Nalakonda came to study, but now feels at home here. PHOTO: MONIQUE FORD/STUFF
SRAVAN NALAKONDA, 32, INDIA
It took Sravan Nalakonda 1½ hours to fold the traditional dhoti he wore to the citizenship ceremony. He'd only done it once before – for his brother's wedding.
After seven years in New Zealand, India seems strange to him. His home city of Hyderabad, in the south, is almost unrecognisable. His chatter is peppered with Kiwisms such as "sweet" and he's been supporting the Black Caps for five years. Yes, even when they play India.
Sravan also came to study cheffing in New Plymouth. He'd studied hotel management and worked as a bartender, but wanted a change. Somewhere welcoming and peaceful and relaxing. He considered Canada, Switzerland and New Zealand.
"I heard it's one of those countries if you're good, legal and do things nice, there is scope for you to settle down and get residency."
He got a job the same day he came to Wellington and now works at Bethel Woods in the CBD.
New Zealand seems like his home; his friends are his family. There's space and he can walk the streets at 2am without fear of being robbed.
And he doesn't expect to return to India to marry – he'd rather keep his rugby mates, his movie mates and his drinking mates than invest all his energies in one girl.
"I feel like I will stay here for a long while."
CITIZENSHIP FOR SALE?
Two high-profile citizenship cases have raised questions about the exceptional circumstances provisions allowing foreigners who fail citizenship criteria to become Kiwis anyway.
▪ PETER THIEL
American tech billionaire Peter Thiel became a New Zealand resident in 2006 and was granted citizenship in 2011, under the "exceptional circumstances" provision. The citizenship only came to light in 2017, after journalist Matt Nippert questioned how he had bought a Lake Wanaka estate without Overseas Investment Office approval.
Thiel failed all the citizenship residency criteria, having never lived in New Zealand long term, having spent just 12 days here over five years (compared with the standard minimum 1350 days) and having no intention to live here in the future.
The then Minister of Internal Affairs, Nathan Guy, granted citizenship in the "public interest", based on his investments in New Zealand ventures and a $1 million donation to the Canterbury rebuild.
▪ BILL LIU/YONG MING YAN/YANG LIU/WILLIAM YAN
A mysterious Chinese millionaire who used four different names and several birth dates came to New Zealand in 2001 and was granted permanent residency in 2002.
Known to his MP mates as Bill Liu, he was a high-rolling gambler and donated $5000 to both the Labour and National parties during the 2005 election.
By May 2005 he had applied for citizenship, but a month later Chinese authorities accused him of embezzlement. He was not convicted of any offence, but his Australian bank accounts were frozen and $4 million was sent to the Chinese government. The allegations spurred New Zealand immigration officials to suggest revoking his permanent residency.
Instead, in 2008 he was granted citizenship, after then Labour Party minister Shane Jones over-ruled Internal Affairs officials, who said he did not meet the good-character test.
In March 2017, he pleaded guilty to money laundering, after forfeiting nearly $43 million to police.
Does this represent New Zealand? Watch the video shown to new citizens.
THE RULES
Citizenship rules were tightened in 2005, when the residency requirement was extended from three to five years. Ordinary mortals who are not Peter Thiel must now meet the following criteria:
▪ RESIDENCY
1) Have been a permanent New Zealand resident for at least five years.
2) Have been in New Zealand for at least 240 days in each of those five years, and at least 1350 days across the 5 years.
3) Intend to live in New Zealand after gaining citizenship.
▪ LANGUAGE
Able to hold a basic conversation in English.
▪ GOOD CHARACTER
You could be turned down for citizenship if you have more than 100 driving demerit points or a criminal history.
▪ PUBLIC DECLARATION
You're not a citizen until you've said the oath or affirmation of allegiance at one of the public citizenship ceremonies held by local councils. Private ceremonies – such as that held for Peter Thiel – must be approved by the minister.
CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH
Babies born here are now automatic citizens only if at least one parent was a citizen or permanent resident at the time of their birth.
CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE
Since 2005, there have been no special rules for non-citizens married to Kiwis.
DUAL CITIZENSHIP
New Zealand allows dual or multiple citizenship, but some countries do not, so some immigrants must renounce citizenship of their home nation before becoming Kiwis. Dual citizenship has some fish-hooks, as Palmerston North-born Australian Greens senator Scott Ludlam found out. He had to resign, after discovering he was still a Kiwi citizen - excluding him from running for parliament under Australia's constitution.
RESIDENCY VS CITIZENSHIP
Many nations, including Australia, restrict voting to citizens. New Zealand, however, allows permanent residents to have their say in elections, as long as they have lived here continuously for a year or more. In Britain, voting in a general election is restricted to British and Commonwealth citizens.
Only citizens can stand for parliament or local councils, or represent New Zealand in some sporting events, such as the Olympic Games.
REVOKING CITIZENSHIP
Citizenship can be revoked at any time between it being granted and the person taking the oath at a public citizenship ceremony. After that, it's more difficult.
The Internal Affairs Minister can still rescind citizenship, if the person has also become a citizen of another country and acted contrary to the interests of New Zealand; or if citizenship was gained through fraud or a mistake.
Remuneration thresholds in Skilled Migrant and Essential Skills policies will be increasing on 15 January 2018.
