News and Publications

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has made changes in relation to providing information that is false, misleading or incomplete in visa and Expression of Interest (EOI) applications which take effect on 25 September 2023.

Strict Obligation

INZ states applicants have a strict obligation to truthfully inform INZ of all material facts, including circumstance changes. In other words, INZ can decline applications containing false, misleading and withheld information no matter whether the applicants or their agents submit it intentionally or not, and this can lead to consideration of character waivers for future applications, which is a complex process requiring advice.

Message for Employers

Employers should be aware that where they pass job tokens to proposed employees directly and do not know what is provided to INZ by them, this may increase the risk of false, incomplete or withheld information with the consequences above.

Therefore, we suggest employers contact us to review an employee’s visa application before submission. Otherwise, a piece of incorrect information may cause a delay in approval or decline directly.

Disclaimer: We remind you that while this article provides commentary on employment law, health and safety and immigration topics, it should not be used as a substitute for legal or professional advice for specific situations. Please seek legal advice from your lawyer for any questions specific to your workplace.