New rules limit eligibility for children with high needs
The central government has recently announced stricter health requirements for dependent children of temporary visa holders to enhance consistency within the immigration system.
“In recent years, a spike in enrolments of children of temporary migrants in our schools has resulted in an increase in children from this cohort with very high learning needs. This has put significant strain on an already oversubscribed learning support system, preventing other children from getting the support they need,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford stated.
Effective from March 17, dependent children of temporary visa holders will no longer be eligible for student or visitor visas if they have severe cognitive or developmental disorders that require significant support. The new regulations will apply to offshore applicants and those already residing in New Zealand applying for a new visa. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will retain discretionary power in exceptional cases.
Parents or legal guardians must declare whether their child has a medical condition that could impact their visa eligibility. In addition to this declaration, most applicants seeking a visa for 12 months or longer must provide a complete medical certificate as part of the application process.
Stanford noted that aligning health requirements for temporary visas with those for resident visas will improve transparency and fairness in the immigration system.
“The current system allows a family with a child with significant additional needs to be granted a temporary visa and become settled in New Zealand, only for them to discover then they are not eligible for residency,” Stanford said in a press release.
Stanford added that the changes balance maintaining opportunities for migrants and ensuring that existing resources are sufficient to support those already in the education system.
New Zealand’s immigration system evaluates applicants using the Acceptable Standard of Health (ASH) criteria, which INZ applies when reviewing visa applications.
