Abeona Immigration Services

Abeona Immigration Services Welcome to Abeona Immigration Services. Explore how we can assist you by visiting abeona.co.nz. Kia ora and welcome!

Located in Kaikลura, we provide client centered and personalised NZ immigration solutions for both individuals and employers. I am Audrey Avry, Licensed Immigration Adviser and founder of Abeona, based in the stunning town of Kaikลura, New Zealand. My own journey as a migrant inspired me to establish this consultancy, combining my passion for immigration law with a deep commitment to helping other

s. I hold a Bachelor of Laws from France and have gained extensive experience in compliance roles across various sectors, including with a Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a commercial law firm, a consumer association, and more recently a prominent New Zealand immigration consultancy. This diverse experience has given me a thorough understanding of compliance and Aotearoaโ€™s immigration system, allowing me to offer well-rounded advice. Having personally applied for multiple work visas and achieved residency in New Zealand, I understand the challenges you may face. Now a proud resident myself, I am dedicated to helping others achieve their own immigration goals and contribute positively to the diversity of this beautiful whenua (land).

๐€๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐’๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐„๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ฉ๐š๐ญ๐ก๐ฐ๐š๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐š๐ง ๐€๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ ๐‹๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐จ๐›? ๐“๐ฐ๐จ ๐ž๐ฑ๐ญ๐ซ๐š ๐ซ๐ž๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ซ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒIf your current...
02/09/2026

๐€๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐’๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐„๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ฉ๐š๐ญ๐ก๐ฐ๐š๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐š๐ง ๐€๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ ๐‹๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐จ๐›? ๐“๐ฐ๐จ ๐ž๐ฑ๐ญ๐ซ๐š ๐ซ๐ž๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ซ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ

If your current job or job offer is in an Amber List occupation (Cafรฉ or Restaurant Manager, Chef, Office Manager and Customer Service Manager are all on it ) two extra requirements apply. But only if you're applying through the Skilled Work Experience pathway.

๐Ÿ. ๐€ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ž๐ซ ๐ฐ๐š๐ ๐ž.
1.2ร— the SMC wage threshold, not 1.1ร—.

๐Ÿ. ๐๐ž๐ฐ ๐™๐ž๐š๐ฅ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ž๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ.
Your 3 years of ๐ซ๐ž๐ฅ๐ž๐ฏ๐š๐ง๐ญ work experience must all have been gained here. Overseas experience won't count, however senior the role.

๐‡๐ž๐ซ๐ž'๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฉ๐š๐ซ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ž๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ž ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ.

That 1.2ร— isn't only about your current job. The additional 2 years of skilled work experience in NZ you're relying on must have been paid at 1.2ร— as well, for the whole period. And the trigger is your employment, not your history. It's the occupation of your current job that decides whether the Amber rules apply not the occupation you gained your experience in.

Appendix 21 is reviewed regularly, with occupations added and removed. Always check the current list, not one you saw a few months ago.

If your occupation is on the Amber List and you'd like to know where you actually stand, I can help you map it out.

๐“๐ก๐ž ๐ง๐ž๐ฐ ๐’๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐„๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ฉ๐š๐ญ๐ก๐ฐ๐š๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ "๐ญ๐ฐ๐จ ๐ฒ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐ž๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž"It's five.This is the one I'm being asked a...
02/09/2026

๐“๐ก๐ž ๐ง๐ž๐ฐ ๐’๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐„๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ฉ๐š๐ญ๐ก๐ฐ๐š๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ "๐ญ๐ฐ๐จ ๐ฒ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐ž๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž"

It's five.

This is the one I'm being asked about most since the SMC changes took effect on 24 August, so let's be clear about how it's built.

To use the Skilled Work Experience pathway you need:

โ–ช๏ธ a job or job offer in an ANZSCO skill level 1โ€“3 occupation
โ–ช๏ธ pay of at least 1.1 times the SMC wage threshold
โ–ช๏ธ 3 years of relevant work experience, and
โ–ช๏ธ an additional 2 years of skilled work experience in New Zealand.
โ–ช๏ธ if your occupation is on the Amber List, additional requirements apply.

That word "additional" is doing a lot of work.

The same two years cannot be counted twice. If you've been in NZ for three years doing skilled work, you have three years of a five-year requirement not "the three plus the two."

The 3 years of relevant experience can include overseas experience (unless your job is on the Amber List). The final 2 years must be in NZ, and paid at the right rate.

This pathway was designed for people with long, deep experience in one field who don't have a degree. If that's you, it's genuinely useful.

If you're not sure which of the three SMC pathways fits your situation, I'm happy to help you work through it.

๐–๐š๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐จ๐ง ๐š ๐ฅ๐ž๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ˆ๐๐™ ๐›๐ž๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ๐ž ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐Ž๐„๐‚?Stop waiting. It's not coming and you don't need it anymore.U...
31/08/2026

๐–๐š๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐จ๐ง ๐š ๐ฅ๐ž๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ˆ๐๐™ ๐›๐ž๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ๐ž ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐Ž๐„๐‚?

Stop waiting. It's not coming and you don't need it anymore.

Until recently, INZ issued a separate letter to Filipino nationals granted an open work visa. It mattered most to people who arrived in New Zealand without an Overseas Employment Certificate such as partners who later gained work rights.

As of 24 July 2026, INZ no longer issues that letter. The Philippine labour authorities have confirmed it's no longer required.

Here's what you do instead:

โ†’ Register and validate your New Zealand work visa on the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) New Zealand website
โ†’ Once it's validated, apply for your OEC online
โ†’ It's issued and recorded electronically

mwonewzealand.dmw.gov.ph

One thing to be clear about: this doesn't remove the OEC requirement. It's a Philippine requirement, not an INZ one, so MWO New Zealand is who to ask about the OEC itself.

And if you're not sure where your own visa fits into all this, get in touch happy to help you work it out.

๐„๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฒ๐ž๐ซ ๐š๐œ๐œ๐ซ๐ž๐๐ข๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐Ÿ‘ ๐๐š๐ฒ๐ฌ.This client of mine in the healthcare sector applied for Standard Employer Acc...
28/08/2026

๐„๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฒ๐ž๐ซ ๐š๐œ๐œ๐ซ๐ž๐๐ข๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐Ÿ‘ ๐๐š๐ฒ๐ฌ.

This client of mine in the healthcare sector applied for Standard Employer Accreditation on a Tuesday evening with my assistance. By Friday, it was approved.

They're now an accredited employer, which means they can take the next step toward hiring migrant workers under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV).

A lot of employers tell me the process feels slow and confusing. In my experience, most delays don't come from Immigration New Zealand , they come from applications that are incomplete, inconsistent, or missing supporting evidence. Get it right the first time and things move.

If you're an employer in healthcare, aged care, construction, hospitality or any sector struggling to fill roles locally, accreditation may be worth exploring.

Happy to talk it through, no obligation.

๐Ÿ“ฉ [email protected]

๐’๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐œ๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐œ๐ก๐š๐ง๐ ๐ž๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ’ ๐€๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญFrom 24 August 2026, earning three times the median wage no lo...
25/08/2026

๐’๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐œ๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐œ๐ก๐š๐ง๐ ๐ž๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ’ ๐€๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ

From 24 August 2026, earning three times the median wage no longer gets your Skilled Residence application to the front of the queue. That priority has been removed.

What gets priority now:
โ€ข A job or job offer in a Tier 1 Green List occupation
โ€ข Skilled Migrant Category applicants who reach six points without relying on work experience

On the temporary side, Job Check and AEWV applications for any Green List occupation are still prioritised.

Source: INZ Amendment Circular 2026-23.

Questions about where this leaves your application? Get in touch.

๐“๐ก๐ž ๐ง๐ž๐ฐ ๐’๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ ๐Œ๐ข๐ ๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ญ ๐‚๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž.As of today 24 August 2026, the new SMC rules are in force. You can lodge your ...
23/08/2026

๐“๐ก๐ž ๐ง๐ž๐ฐ ๐’๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ ๐Œ๐ข๐ ๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ญ ๐‚๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž.

As of today 24 August 2026, the new SMC rules are in force. You can lodge your EOI now.

There used to be one way in. Now there are three.

1. ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ-๐›๐š๐ฌ๐ž๐ โ€” the existing pathway. Still 6 points, but easier to reach: more points for New Zealand qualifications, more for overseas bachelor's degrees and postgraduate certificates, and less NZ work experience needed to top up.

2. ๐’๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐„๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž โ€” new. No degree required. For people who built their skills on the job: a skill level 1โ€“3 role, 3 years of relevant experience, plus 2 years of skilled work in New Zealand. Pay: at least 1.1x the SMC median wage, currently $38.50 an hour.

โš ๏ธ Some occupations are treated differently. Amber List roles (chefs, cafรฉ and hotel managers, some ICT support) need 1.2x the wage threshold (currently $42) AND all 5 years of experience must be gained in New Zealand. Red List roles (hairdressers, beauty therapists, retail managers) can't use this pathway at all, though the other two pathways may still be open to them.

3. ๐“๐ซ๐š๐๐ž๐ฌ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐“๐ž๐œ๐ก๐ง๐ข๐œ๐ข๐š๐ง โ€” new. For eligible trades and technical roles: a level 4 or higher qualification, 2.5 years of relevant post-qualification experience, plus 1.5 years of skilled work in New Zealand.

One more change that matters. The wage threshold rules have changed. In most cases you now only need to meet the rate that applied when you started your skilled work experience not today's rate. For a lot of people on AEWVs, that quietly fixes a problem that used to end the conversation.

All three pathways still require the same basics: a genuine skilled job with an accredited employer, age 55 or younger, good health and character, and enough English to meet INZ's standard.

Not sure which of the three fits you or if you're eligible? Message me, or email [email protected].

Two reviews landed this week, and I've read them more times than I'd admit.Neither one mentioned visa categories or poli...
17/08/2026

Two reviews landed this week, and I've read them more times than I'd admit.

Neither one mentioned visa categories or policy criteria. They talked about feeling supported. About things being explained clearly. About the process feeling less stressful.

That's the part that stays with me because I did my own immigration journey alone.

I got there in the end. But it wasn't until I was studying to become a Licensed Immigration Adviser that I realised how much I hadn't known. Not just the rules, the strategy. The order you do things in. The timing. Looking back with what I know now, I can see where I lost time I didn't need to lose.

The irony isn't lost on me.

So when someone tells me the process felt clear and less stressful, it means more than they realise. That's the thing I wish I'd had.

To everyone who has trusted me with your application lately, a heartfelt thank you. I don't take it lightly.

And if you're at the start of your own journey and unsure where to begin, that's completely normal. It's exactly the conversation I'm here for.

๐€๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐š๐ฅ: ๐๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ง๐ž๐ซ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐š ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ž๐ซ ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐•๐ข๐ฌ๐š, ๐ ๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ ๐€๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ”.This one took patience. The waiting is often the...
17/08/2026

๐€๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐š๐ฅ: ๐๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ง๐ž๐ซ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐š ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ž๐ซ ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐•๐ข๐ฌ๐š, ๐ ๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ ๐€๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ”.

This one took patience. The waiting is often the hardest part especially when your partner's next chapter sits on the other side of a decision.

To my clients: thank you for trusting me. It was a privilege to help. All the vey best for what comes next!

If you're on a work visa and wondering whether your partner can join you, this is a pathway worth understanding. Every situation is different, your relationship evidence and your own visa status both matter.

Questions? Send me an email at [email protected].

๐†๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ž๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐œ๐š๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐™ ๐ก๐š๐ฌ ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐ก๐ž๐š๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ โœ…If a health condition has ever made you nervous abou...
05/08/2026

๐†๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ž๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐œ๐š๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐™ ๐ก๐š๐ฌ ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐ก๐ž๐š๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ โœ…

If a health condition has ever made you nervous about applying for residence, this update is worth reading. As of 3 August 2026, Immigration New Zealand has softened part of its "acceptable standard of health" rules for residence applications:

๐Ÿฉธ Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are no longer on the "high-cost" list. Previously, these conditions could automatically made you ineligible. That automatic barrier has been removed.

๐Ÿง  A past hospital stay for a psychiatric illness is no longer an automatic red flag on its own.

๐Ÿซ˜ Kidney and liver conditions now have a clearer bar. They only count as a listed condition if they're severe and either chronic or progressive not milder cases.

๐Ÿ’Š More treatments now qualify. The list of immune-suppressant medications that can keep autoimmune conditions off the "high-cost" list has been widened.

What this means for you: these changes may open the door for people who were previously worried about being declined on health grounds. But every case is still assessed individually, and an acceptable standard of health is still a requirement for residence. A condition being removed from the automatic list doesn't guarantee approval it just removes one automatic hurdle.

If you or a family member has held back from applying because of a health concern, it may be a good time to get your situation reviewed properly.

๐Ÿ“ฉ Have questions about how these changes affect you? Send me a message, I'm happy to help you understand where you stand.

๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ญ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ, ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ๐˜ช๐˜ท๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ถ๐˜ข๐˜ญ ๐˜ช๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ท๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฆ.

Thank you, Josateki it's been a privilege walking beside you to your visa approval, and I can't wait to keep supporting ...
04/08/2026

Thank you, Josateki it's been a privilege walking beside you to your visa approval, and I can't wait to keep supporting you on what's next. ๐Ÿ’›

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