Performance Audit Report on Skilled Residence Visa System

In January 2024, the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) began a performance audit to see how well New Zealand’s Skilled Residence Visa system is working. The findings, shared today, highlight both the strengths of Immigration New Zealand's (INZ) system and areas where improvements can make it even better.

The report shows that INZ has already taken steps to improve the application experience for people seeking a skilled residence visa. It also notes that INZ has a solid quality management system in place for processing these applications, and it commends the dedication of INZ staff.

The report includes a few key recommendations to improve the system:

- Application Tracking: Make it easier for skilled residence applicants to track their application progress.

- Better Reporting and Monitoring: Improve reporting and monitoring so INZ can see how well the system is working and where it needs to improve.

These changes will help us measure the system's effectiveness, target specific areas for improvement, and ensure we’re attracting and keeping skilled workers in New Zealand.

INZ agrees with these recommendations and will explore ways to carry them out as part of its current projects, priorities, and resources. Some changes are already happening, like boosting external reporting to show how well the visa system is performing. INZ is also rolling out a new framework focused on improving customer experience, which will allow for more visibility, collaboration, and sharing of ideas that can help us serve our customers better.

About the Skilled Residence Visa Category

The Skilled Residence visa is designed to support New Zealand’s economy by bringing in migrants who can fill skilled roles that are difficult to find locally or take time to fill. This visa category aims to attract workers who can contribute to New Zealand’s long-term growth and development.

Source: Immigration New Zealand