SM3.15 Selection of Expressions of Interest (01/02/2010)

1. As Expressions of Interest are entered into the Pool they will be ranked on the basis of total points claimed for employability and capacity building factors in accordance with Skilled Migrant (Application) Policy. The ranking of Expressions of Interest relative to each other will change as Expressions of Interest enter, or are withdrawn from, the Pool.
2. Expressions of Interest in the Skilled Migrant Category Pool are selected from that Pool periodically on the Government’s behalf by the Department of Labour.
3. Selections from the Pool after 21 December 2005 are made in the following manner:
   1. Expressions of Interest that have total points of 140 or more are selected automatically from the Pool;
   2. Expressions of Interest that have total points of 100 or more but less than 140, and include points for the principal applicant’s offer of skilled employment or current skilled employment in New Zealand, are selected (according to their points ranking) in sufficient numbers to meet the requirements of the Skilled/Business Stream of the New Zealand Residence Programme (NZRP) at the time of that selection (subject to any adjustment to the number or distribution of places in the NZRP determined by the Government).
4. If, following the selection process set out at (c) above, further places are available in the Skilled/Business Stream of the NZRP at the time of that selection (subject to any adjustment to the number or distribution of places in the NZRP determined by the Government), additional Expressions of Interest may be selected from the Pool on the basis of criteria set from time to time by the Minister of Immigration, having regard to the objectives of the Skilled Migrant Category. Those criteria are specified at SM3.15.1.

SM3.15.1 Additional selection criteria

1. The following additional selection criteria apply for the purposes of SM3.15(d), for selections from the Pool occurring until 31 July 2010 inclusive.
2. Expressions of Interest will be selected by applying the criteria in the order in which they appear in (i) – (iv), to the extent necessary to satisfy any exercise of the discretion under SM3.15 (d):
   1. Expressions of Interest that include 15 points for work experience in an area of absolute skills shortage (in descending order of their points total);
   2. Expressions of Interest that include 10 points for work experience in an area of absolute skills shortage (in descending order of their points total);
   3. Expressions of Interest that include 10 points for a qualification in an area of absolute skills shortage (in descending order of their points total);
   4. the points total of Expressions of Interest not meeting any of the criteria in (i) – (iii) (in descending order).

Effective 01/02/2010