By Ngozi Ekugo

Copyright businessday

Parents of New Zealand residents can now apply for the newly introduced parent boost visitor visa, which permits extended visits of up to five years, according to Erica Stanford, the country’s immigration minister.

The immigration reforms forms part of New Zealand’s economic resilience, family reunification, and streamlined processes, as it offers multi-entry access for eligible parents, provided they meet specific health, financial, and insurance criteria.

“This visa complements our existing general visitor visa and the parent and grandparent visitor visa. It has been carefully designed to meet the wishes of New Zealanders with family overseas, while safeguarding public services, particularly our health system, striking a careful balance, making New Zealand more welcoming without placing undue pressure on public services”, Stanford said.

A balanced approach to immigration

The visa scheme forms part of a broader immigration strategy aimed at attracting skilled talent and supporting economic growth. Recent initiatives includes new residency pathways for highly skilled migrants, addressing domestic labour shortages.

According to Stanford, “We recognise that a longer-term visitor visa for parents is a key factor for many migrants when deciding where to settle. We’re pleased to offer this option, which benefits families and strengthens New Zealand’s appeal”.

She emphasised the importance of family support, noting its role in childcare, health challenges, and welcoming new arrivals. “There’s no substitute for having loved ones nearby,” she said.

The visa also delivers on a coalition agreement between the National and ACT parties, aimed at enhancing New Zealand’s competitiveness and attractiveness to migrants.

Read also: Corrupt Nigerian officials won’t get visas, says US Mission

Eligibility criteria for the parent boost visa

To be eligible for the parent boost visitor visa, the applicants must meet a range of criteria designed to ensure they are genuine visitors who can support themselves during their stay in New Zealand.

Their sponsor must be either a New Zealand citizen or resident, and need to meet the acceptable standard of health, which includes undergoing a medical assessment and maintaining adequate health throughout their visit.

Applicants must demonstrate that they have at least one year of comprehensive health insurance coverage. This insurance must include emergency medical treatment, repatriation, return of remains, and cancer care. Crucially, this coverage must be maintained for the entire duration of their stay in New Zealand. In addition, applicants must satisfy character requirements and prove they are bona fide visitors. During the third year of their visa, while offshore, they must complete a new medical assessment and confirm that their insurance remains active.

Applicants must also satisfy one of the following financial conditions:

A single sponsor must earn at least the median wage to support one parent, while joint sponsors must earn 1.5 times the median wage. Alternatively, parents may qualify if they have an ongoing income that matches the single rate of New Zealand Superannuation for one parent or the couple rate for two. As another option, parents can demonstrate they have sufficient funds to support themselves, specifically, NZ$160,000 for a single parent or NZ$250,000 for a couple.

Once the visa is granted, the applicants must arrive in New Zealand within six months of the visa being approved. The five-year stay will begin from the date of first arrival, not the approval date. Applicants can leave and re-enter New Zealand freely during the visa period. Parents and their partners can travel separately

In addition, after three years (but before four years), applicants will need to leave New Zealand and complete a compliance check which includes submitting a new medical certificate and providing evidence that acceptable insurance has been maintained while they have been in New Zealand.

Read also:Canadian citizens can opt for super visa for parents, grandparents, as PGP applications halted

Job check process overhauled

In a related development, the government has unveiled a redesigned job check process for employers hiring through the accredited employer work visa scheme. The updated system hopes to improve efficiency and for quicker decision-making.

“This redesign reflects feedback from employers and users. It’s another step towards a responsive, user-friendly immigration system that helps businesses fill skill gaps swiftly”, Stanford noted.

More details can be found on the official immigration website here