On 19 February 2016, Australia announced a new pathway to permanent residence, and eventually citizenship, for certain New Zealanders currently living in Australia.
The pathway is available through the New Zealand stream of the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa as part of the General Skilled Migration program.
It is aimed at New Zealand citizens on SCVs who had already demonstrated a commitment and contribution to Australia, as evidenced through the eligibility criteria:
Unfortunately all applicants for this visa stream must have arrived in Australia on or before 19 February 2016, the date of the announcement.
The requirement states that “The continuous period of usual residence must have commenced on or before the date that the new pathway was announced.”
As stated above, this was announced on 19 February 2016.
The www.aph.gov.au/…/Quick_Guides/NewZealandersInAustralia states that one of the complaints about this new visa stream was that the eligibility ‘cut-off’ date of 19 February 2016, excluded future arrivals from the pathway.