It is to be appreciated that each person or family’s personal circumstances are unique and there are often additional considerations which will influence any assessment of a person’s ability to satisfy New Zealand immigration policy at any point in time. Such considerations can relate to employment, health, timing, age, family, work experience and other matters.

PathwaysNZ undertakes Initial Assessments and Comprehensive Immigration Assessments to assist prospective applicants to understand their immigration eligibility. All assessments are prepared in good faith, and are conditional on the accuracy and completeness of the information on which the assessment is based and on the immigration policies prevailing at the time of the assessment.

Immigration New Zealand is the Government Department which makes all decisions on New Zealand visas and permit applications. While New Zealand immigration policy is intended to be transparent the reality is that there are many areas subject to interpretation and confusion. In the year to June 2008 some 5,000 residence applications were declined and this does not take into account the numbers of Skilled Migrant Expressions of Interest applications which were assessed as not satisfying policy and so did not progress to a residence application.

The Residence Review Board, an independent judicial body responsible for deciding on appeals against declined residence applications, issued 381 decisions in the year to June 2008. Some 171 (45%) appeals were successful in one way or another including 118 (31%) where the decision of Immigration New Zealand was incorrect.

It is therefore extremely important that intending migrants are accurately and honestly informed at the outset on their eligibility for a New Zealand immigration visa and often there can be several immigration pathways to achieve the same objective. All immigration applications will involve an element of risk and these should be identified and discussed at the outset. In addition to satisfying policy criteria the next most important aspect of any application is the planning and coordination of the application process and working within tight timeframes which are imposed once the process begins. Mistakes can be costly so PathwaysNZ adopts a “Get it right, first time” approach.

The first step in the immigration process is to understand what immigration pathway is possible and how this can be achieved. PathwaysNZ provides assessment services to assist in this understanding and will also honestly advise if the required criteria is unable to be met.

Intending migrants from all over the world will often telephone, email or visit PathwaysNZ with a number of preliminary or general enquiries. We will always respond to these enquiries in a professional and timely manner and in good faith and on the basis the enquiry is genuine.

Sometimes it is possible to provide a general initial assessment however such assessments are necessarily limited in their content and value because of the limited information and time that is possible. Such initial assessments and responses to enquiries are free of charge.

 For serious applicants an investment in a CIA is highly recommended. A CIA will detail:

• Policy options to achieve the desired immigration objective
• Relevant policy considerations that will apply
• Areas of risk and/or concern which must be acknowledged & addressed
• A recommendation of the most  suitable pathway (if such is possible)
• The process to be followed including a strategic plan and timeline
• A proposal for PathwaysNZ assistance  and fees

A CIA requires:

1. detailed resumes of the main applicant and any partner which includes full names and birthdates, all qualifications (dates of study, qualification & institution name), all work experience (dates, employer, job title), all self employed business experience (dates, business type), information on any health issues or convictions or past immigration problems
2. details of all family members to be included in any immigration application (full names and birthdates)
3. details of any family members in New Zealand and what the relationship is to the applicant
4. details of any employment prospects in New Zealand
5. other information considered of likely interest

To request a CIA please forward the requested information by email or alternatively download our Comprehensive Immigration Questionnaire.


This page was last updated on 25 September 2009