Approvals

What we've seen approved, by pathway

A digest of approval patterns across the five common pathways the directory advisers handle. We don't publish individual case files (the IAA Code of Conduct prohibits identifying client data without written consent). Instead this is the aggregate picture: typical processing times, who tends to get over the line, and which advisers' case-load looks like yours.

How to read this page. No adviser, including the ones on this directory, can promise you an outcome — anyone who does is breaching the IAA Code of Conduct. What a good adviser can tell you is whether their case-load looks like yours, and what the recent approval rate has been on files structurally similar to yours. The summaries below match each pathway to advisers whose volume and typical client profile suggest they've worked through cases like yours before. INZ statistics referenced are from publicly-released MBIE quarterly reporting.

Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

10 advisers listed

If the employer is well-known to your adviser, AEWV is one of the more predictable pathways. The risk lives in the employer's compliance, not the migrant's.

Typical processing window: 4–12 weeks
Professional fee band: $1.5k–$3.5k NZD
Common decline reasons: Employer accreditation lapses mid-application

Recent AEWV case-load on the directory

Tahi Immigration Advisers
Mereana Whitiora · IAA #201800221 · Auckland
Approved profile: Healthcare migrants — UK, Filipino, South African RNs and midwives.
120–150 files/yr
Albany Immigration House
Anushka Patel · IAA #201700134 · Auckland
Approved profile: Indian and Sri Lankan applicants; AEWV chefs and IT roles.
180 files/yr
Viaduct Migration Law
Hugo van der Berg · IAA #200900045 · Auckland
Approved profile: Tribunal appellants, character-issue cases, Section 61 requests.
40 files/yr
Thorndon Visa Advisory
Tama Reweti · IAA #201600199 · Wellington
Approved profile: Senior-skill migrants, AEWV cases needing detailed representations.
100 files/yr
Canterbury Employer AEWV
Peter Salesi · IAA #201900233 · Christchurch
Approved profile: Pacific Island, Filipino and Sri Lankan migrants in primary industries.
220 files/yr
Papanui Migration
Hyun-Jung Park · IAA #201700301 · Christchurch
Approved profile: Korean and Japanese postgraduate students at Canterbury and Otago.
85 files/yr
Waikato Visa Advisers
Manjeet Singh · IAA #201500176 · Hamilton
Approved profile: Dairy farm assistants, truck drivers, meat-processing operators.
260 files/yr
Kiwi Coast Immigration
Aroha Tipene · IAA #201800117 · Tauranga
Approved profile: Pacific Island and Filipino horticulture and trades migrants.
150 files/yr
Alpine Visa
Marie Dubois · IAA #201900088 · Queenstown
Approved profile: European tourism-hospitality migrants, NZSki and Cardrona partners.
110 files/yr
Manila IAA Services
Joselito Reyes · IAA #201600220 · Manila (offshore)
Approved profile: Filipino aged-care, dairy, construction migrants.
300 files/yr

Read the AEWV brief →Get matched to a AEWV adviser →

Skilled Migrant Category (SMC)

6 advisers listed

If you can clear 6 points cleanly, SMC is the cleanest residence route. Pay for the points-pre-check before you pay for the application — it saves you the most expensive surprise in this category.

Typical processing window: 16–48 weeks
Professional fee band: $3.5k–$8k NZD
Common decline reasons: NZQA assessment lower than expected

Recent Skilled Migrant case-load on the directory

Tahi Immigration Advisers
Mereana Whitiora · IAA #201800221 · Auckland
Approved profile: Healthcare migrants — UK, Filipino, South African RNs and midwives.
120–150 files/yr
Kōwhai Visa Co
Liang Chen · IAA #201500082 · Auckland
Approved profile: Mid-career Chinese-, Indian- and Vietnamese-trained professionals.
80 files/yr
Albany Immigration House
Anushka Patel · IAA #201700134 · Auckland
Approved profile: Indian and Sri Lankan applicants; AEWV chefs and IT roles.
180 files/yr
Viaduct Migration Law
Hugo van der Berg · IAA #200900045 · Auckland
Approved profile: Tribunal appellants, character-issue cases, Section 61 requests.
40 files/yr
Thorndon Visa Advisory
Tama Reweti · IAA #201600199 · Wellington
Approved profile: Senior-skill migrants, AEWV cases needing detailed representations.
100 files/yr
Papanui Migration
Hyun-Jung Park · IAA #201700301 · Christchurch
Approved profile: Korean and Japanese postgraduate students at Canterbury and Otago.
85 files/yr

Read the SMC brief →Get matched to a SMC adviser →

Partner of a New Zealander (Partner)

2 advisers listed

The hardest part is proving the unprovable — that you live as a couple. A good adviser builds the evidence-pack methodically over weeks before the application leaves their desk.

Typical processing window: 8–24 weeks
Professional fee band: $2k–$4.5k NZD
Common decline reasons: Insufficient evidence of cohabitation

Recent Partner case-load on the directory

Albany Immigration House
Anushka Patel · IAA #201700134 · Auckland
Approved profile: Indian and Sri Lankan applicants; AEWV chefs and IT roles.
180 files/yr
Harbour Immigration
Sarah O'Connell · IAA #201400067 · Wellington
Approved profile: Partner-of-NZer applicants from US, UK, Australia, Pacific.
70 files/yr

Read the Partner brief →Get matched to a Partner adviser →

Student Visa (post-study work pathway) (Student)

1 adviser listed

Most student-visa declines come down to the course choice — not the application. Brief a good adviser before you enrol, not after the offer letter is in your inbox.

Typical processing window: 4–10 weeks
Professional fee band: $1.2k–$2.5k NZD
Common decline reasons: Course doesn't qualify for post-study work-rights

Recent Student case-load on the directory

Papanui Migration
Hyun-Jung Park · IAA #201700301 · Christchurch
Approved profile: Korean and Japanese postgraduate students at Canterbury and Otago.
85 files/yr

Read the Student brief →Get matched to a Student adviser →

Work-to-Residence (Green List & Sector Agreements) (Green List / WTR)

6 advisers listed

If you're on the Green List, this is the fastest residence pathway in the system. Confirm your occupation code with INZ in writing before paying for any other process — the list reads ambiguously in places.

Typical processing window: 6–20 weeks
Professional fee band: $2.5k–$6k NZD
Common decline reasons: Occupation moves off the Green List between offer and application

Recent Green List / WTR case-load on the directory

Tahi Immigration Advisers
Mereana Whitiora · IAA #201800221 · Auckland
Approved profile: Healthcare migrants — UK, Filipino, South African RNs and midwives.
120–150 files/yr
Kōwhai Visa Co
Liang Chen · IAA #201500082 · Auckland
Approved profile: Mid-career Chinese-, Indian- and Vietnamese-trained professionals.
80 files/yr
Viaduct Migration Law
Hugo van der Berg · IAA #200900045 · Auckland
Approved profile: Tribunal appellants, character-issue cases, Section 61 requests.
40 files/yr
Thorndon Visa Advisory
Tama Reweti · IAA #201600199 · Wellington
Approved profile: Senior-skill migrants, AEWV cases needing detailed representations.
100 files/yr
Waikato Visa Advisers
Manjeet Singh · IAA #201500176 · Hamilton
Approved profile: Dairy farm assistants, truck drivers, meat-processing operators.
260 files/yr
Manila IAA Services
Joselito Reyes · IAA #201600220 · Manila (offshore)
Approved profile: Filipino aged-care, dairy, construction migrants.
300 files/yr

Read the Green List / WTR brief →Get matched to a Green List / WTR adviser →

A note on outcome guarantees

Section 3 of the IAA Code of Conduct (Professional Behaviour) prohibits Licensed Immigration Advisers from making guarantees about visa outcomes. INZ exercises decision-making discretion, policy can change between filing and decision, and individual circumstances vary. The figures on this page are aggregate context, not predictions. If an adviser tells you "I can guarantee approval", report them to the IAA at iaa.govt.nz.