S1.10 Samoan Quota Scheme (26/07/1999)

The Samoan Quota Scheme allows up to 1,100 Samoans, including spouses and dependent children, to be granted residence in New Zealand each year (see R6.10).

S1.10.1 Criteria for residence

1. To qualify for residence under the Quota, the principal applicant must:
   1. be a Samoan citizen, having been born in Samoa or born overseas to a Samoan citizen who was born in Samoa, and be resident in either Samoa or American Samoa at the time the application is made, and
   2. be aged between 18 and 45 inclusive, and
   3. have an acceptable offer of employment (see S1.10.5 below), and
   4. meet a minimum level of English language ability, and
   5. meet the minimum income requirement (see S1.10.5 below) if they have dependants, and
   6. meet health and character requirements (see R4), and
   7. apply for residence in the prescribed manner (see R2.35 – R2.45).
2. Spouses or dependent children accepted under the Quota must also meet health and character requirements.

S1.10.5 Acceptable offers of employment

1. Acceptable offers of employment may be in either a skilled or unskilled occupation but must be:
   1. for ongoing employment (see G4.15.15) with a single employer, and
   2. for full-time employment (see G4.15.20), and
   3. current at the time the application is made, and
   4. genuine, and
   5. for a position that is paid by salary or wages (ie, positions of self-employment, payment by commission and/or retainer are not acceptable), and
   6. accompanied by evidence of professional or technical registration if this is required by law to take up the offer.
2. Offers of employment must:
   1. be contained in an original document, and
   2. be open for at least 3 months from the date the application is made, and
   3. meet the minimum wage requirements, or in the case of an applicant with dependent children, the minimum income requirement (see S1.10.15 below).
3. Details required in an offer of employment are:
   1. the job title, and
   2. hours of work, and
   3. a brief list of duties, and
   4. the wage or salary, and
   5. the period in which employment may begin, and
   6. the term of the employment.

S1.10.10 Minimum English language requirement

The interviewing visa officer determines whether principal applicants meet the minimum English language requirement by assessing whether they are able to:

1. read English; and
2. understand and respond to questions in English; and
3. maintain an English language conversation about themselves, their family or their background.

S1.10.15 Minimum income requirement

1. Principal applicants with dependent children must show that they will meet the minimum income requirement if they come to New Zealand, which is intended to ensure they can support themselves and any dependants.
2. The gross minimum income requirement is set at the GRI (Guaranteed Retirement Income) married rate plus the maximum accommodation benefit, and is reviewed annually.

S1.10.20 Eligibility to make a Quota Scheme application

1. Applications for residence under the Quota Scheme must only be accepted at the NZIS Apia branch.
2. To be eligible to make an application for residence under the Quota Scheme, applicants must first successfully complete the following process:
   1. Applicants are invited each year to register their interest in applying under the Quota Scheme on the official NZIS Samoan Quota Scheme Registration Form.
   2. The official registration form must be sent by mail to the NZIS Apia branch, with only one registration form per envelope.
   3. Each principal applicant may send only one registration form. If more than one registration form is sent, that person is disqualified from that year's registration of interest.
   4. Following a set registration period, as determined and notified by the NZIS Apia Branch Manager, registration forms will be selected at random and successful applicants notified.
   5. Within 3 months of notification, the successful applicants must lodge a formal application for residence in New Zealand under the Quota Scheme.

S1.10.25 Determining applications

1. Visa officers must sight the original job offer and verify that it is genuine and current by checking:
   • directly with the employer, or
   • through the nearest branch office of the NZIS to the employer in New Zealand, or
   • by some other appropriate arrangement.
2. Visa officers must then assess the applicant's English language ability against the criteria at S1.10.10 above.

S1.10.30 Currency of residence visas

If the application is successful, the principal applicant must be issued with a residence visa current for one month only, while the spouse and dependent children must be issued with residence visas current for 12 months.

Effective 26/07/1999