[BarbiM]

I have just looked on the offical website (for the first time in quite a while) and noticed that there is now a 2006/7 limit on sponsored applicants of 15,000. It also says that parents come last on the list.

As we are hoping to emigrate as sponsored parents later this year and haven't even got our application in yet this has put me in a bit of a panic. Does anyone know if there is any way of finding out how close to their 15,000 limit they are? What happens to your application if they go over the limit - do they carry it forward to the next year or do you have to start all over again? I would really appreciate any knowledge that anyone has on this!!

[Avalon]

Could you post a link to where it says this please. I cannot find it.

Cheers

Hxxx

[Avalon]

After more searching - I did find one refence to limits - but only generic - and it seems to say that there has always been a set number. Which coincides with a vaugue recolection I had about this.

I found this in the rather long and very tedious (is there any othe type of government document :D ) residence manual.

a. There are three streams within the New Zealand Residence
Programme:

i The Skilled/Business stream;
ii The Family Sponsored stream; and
iii The International/Humanitarian stream.

b. The Government may, from time to time, reallocate places within the
three streams and/or add places to the three streams.

c. The annual allocation of places within the New Zealand Residence
Programme for the Skilled/Business stream is 60% of the number of
places available within the New Zealand Residence Programme.

d. The annual allocation of places within the New Zealand Residence
Programme for the Family Sponsored stream is 30% of the number of
places available within the New Zealand Residence Programme.

e. The annual allocation of places within the New Zealand Residence
Programme for the International /Humanitarian stream is 10% of the
number of places available within the New Zealand Residence
Programme.

So it looks like this isnt a new limit - its always been there.

Anyway - could you still please give a link to what you read if possible - just to make sure im reading this right. It wouldnt be the first time that Ive read something completely the wrong way with these immigration rules :D

Hxxx

[Mickstim]

Here is the link - this is the only page I have found any reference on (being Mickstim today - he's my husband and the home computer is on his name!)
Would be interested if anyone has any further info - although my son says he will phone them on Monday to try to get more detail.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/live/parent/howdoiapply/howlong.htm

Barb

[Trigirl]

information on the current number of applications / approvals can be found in the latest residence "fact sheet". Look right at the bottom in section 6.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/6AB9F4DF-3F22-465B-9C53-E2EAFA850525/0/FactSheet20061220.pdf

At the moment it shows 6,343 people have been approved and that they have applications on hand relating to another 13,363 people.

The 15,000 limit was set on 30th June 06 - so on the very last day before the new year started. I'd expect the same will happen again so you wont find out the limits for 2007/2008 until 30th June 07.

One thing to be aware of is that under a change annouced in August partners and dependent children are being removed from this category and given their own (unlimited) category. So the total number of places available for this category is likely to fall - but then so will the number of people competing for places.

[Avalon]

May be worth noting that when I spoke to the Wellington Branch of NZIS about all this a few months ago, I was told that it was taking 6-9 months to process a parent sponsorship.

Also, be aware that the priority scale has also always been there - so this is just the way the system works. The bottom line is that NZ wants the skilled workers first, and simply feels that bringing my mum and dad over to make my life complete isnt as important as bringing in a new doctor. Cant really argue with that - painful though it is :wah

The good news is - that if you meet the requirements, and your child meets the requirements to be allowed to sponsor you in the first place - it really is a matter of time only.

[Avalon]

Barbi,

Also, you may want to look at this thread
http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7322&page=4&pp=10&highlight=case+officer

If you go to page 4 - you will see a post a did with a run through of the times and stages involved in sponsoring parents. Its got our dates on it - but its the same principle for everyone.

Hxxx

[Mickstim]

Thanks for all your help - it seems quite tricky to get any definite answers. My son spoke to immigration in NZ today and they said 12- 18 months but he then found the link below which seems to say less - so who knows! The good news is that I have 2 of my 3 sons there, the 3rd is in SA so in fact I don't have any offspring in UK (and I am the main applicant). Guess we'll just have to bite the bullet and wait for the wheels to turn at their own speed. It's a matter of timing and selling the house and such - we may end up just being on a tourist visa for some while if necessary.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/branch/londonbranchhome/tipsandprocessingtimes/familystreamprocessingtimes.htm

By the way - they did tell my son that it generally gets processed faster in London than if we applied in NZ.

Barbi
x