New Zealand will launch a new visa application center in Apia, Samoa, on November 4, 2024, to simplify the visa application process. This initiative was announced by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, which is collaborating with VFS Global to provide these services.
The new Visa Application Center (VAC) in Apia will improve service for Samoan clients of Immigration New Zealand (INZ). The center will accept applications from Monday to Friday, between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM. The current INZ office in Apia, which operates for just one hour daily, will close on November 1, 2024.
Starting November 4, individuals wishing to submit paper visa applications in person can do so at the new VAC. A service fee of WST90 will be charged for each application.
Additionally, there will be a transitional period for Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) applications at the new center. INZ Apia will continue to accept RSE visa applications for two weeks from November 4 to November 18, 2024. The RSE program allows the horticulture and viticulture sectors in New Zealand to hire seasonal workers from specific countries when local labor is insufficient.
Since its inception in 2007, the RSE program has seen its cap increase from 8,000 workers in 2009 to 19,000 in the 2022/2023 period. Employers can only recruit from certain countries unless they have established relationships with workers from other regions. These countries include:
- Fiji
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- Papua New Guinea
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
New Zealand currently operates visa application centers in 40 locations worldwide, including Asia, Europe, China, America, Australia, and the South Pacific. In Oceania specifically, centers are located in Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Samoa.
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