Key Highlights
New Zealand offers various pathways for immigrants who wish to move to New Zealand. Two of these pathways are the Samoan Quota and the Pacific Access Categories. These pathways are the most commonly concerned pathways for immigration to New Zealand. To apply for one of these pathways and secure immigration to New Zealand, you must apply through the online registration portal that opens for a specific period every year. Both of these schemes select applicants through an annual ballot, held only once a year.
Registrations for the 2024 round of the Samoan quota and the Pacific Access Category will open on May 20, 2024, at 8:00 New Zealand Standard Time.
Samoan Quota Resident Visa
The Samoan Quota Resident Visa is for Samoan citizens who wish to live and work in Switzerland. The applicants are selected through a ballot system. If your name is drawn on the ballot, you will be invited to apply for a residence permit. There is no time limit on this visa, as it permits you to stay for an indefinite period.
This visa pathway accepts 1100 applications every year, with an additional 550 applicants till 2026. It requires you to be fluent in English or at least have working proficiency. Most importantly, you must hold a job offer that pays you enough salary to support yourself and your family in New Zealand. If not you, then your partner must hold a job offer of this kind. Applicants who qualify through this criteria and fall between 18 and 45 will be welcome to apply for this visa.
Pacific Category Access Visa
The Pacific Category Access Visa allows individuals from Fiji, Tuvalu, Tonga, and Kiribati to apply for residence permits in New Zealand. This visa, too, accepts applications through a ballot system. If you are selected, you will be invited to apply. There is no time limit on this visa, as it permits you to stay for an indefinite period. It requires you to be fluent in English or at least have working proficiency.
Most importantly, you must hold a job offer that pays you enough salary to support yourself and your family in New Zealand. If not you, then your partner must hold a job offer of this kind. Applicants who qualify through these criteria and fall between 18 and 45 can apply for this visa. This visa allows at least 75 to 150 citizens from Kiribati and Tuvalu each. It allows 250 to 500 citizens from Tonga and Fiji each as well.
Eligibility Criteria For Both Visa Pathways
The eligibility criteria for the Samoan Quota and the Pacific Access Categories are more or less the same. They are discussed below.
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You must register for the ballot before the last date
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Your age must be above 18 and less than 45
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You must be invited to apply for residence
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You must be a citizen of one of the countries mentioned for each visa
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You must not have any previous criminal charges
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You must submit a medical examination report to prove that you are in good health
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You must have a job offer from New Zealand
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You must be earning enough money to support your family and yourself
Conclusion
The Samoan Quota and the Pacific Access Categories are two of the most common ways to immigrate to New Zealand. The country warmly welcomes immigrants from the listed countries. It is easy for them to adjust as well. New Zealand also provides a multicultural environment and a bustling immigrant community. It is very easy for most immigrants to adapt and quickly become a part of the community as well.
To know more about Samoan quota and New Zealand immigration, you can reach out to TerraTern to help you go through the process!
