An Essential Skills Work Visa Approval - Even After a PPI

After one of our clients submitted her application for a 3-year Essential Skills Work Visa, our team received a PPI - potentially prejudicial information - letter from Immigration New Zealand. Specifically INZ was concerned about whether or not our client met the acceptable standard of health for a 3-year Essential Skills Work Visa.

To give you some background information: Our client was diabetic and - not to get too technical - her glycated haemoglobin levels were far higher than what was normal - potentially associated with multiple comorbidities including Coronary Artery Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, Diabetic Eye Disease and Peripheral Neuropathy. 

And to make matters even more unsatisfactory in the eyes of INZ - our client and her partner were trying to start a family.

Therefore, the immigration officer assigned to her case believed that there was a “relatively high probability” that the applicant would require at least one of the following services within the period of her intended stay in NZ:

• Hospitalisation;
• Residential care;
• High cost pharmaceuticals; and/or
• High cost disability services

But that’s where our team was able to do what we do best: Evan - our Provisional Licensed Immigration Adviser (LIA), Mehak - our Senior LIA and Kejal - one of our Immigration Assistants, stepped in and expertly responded to the case officer’s concerns. Together they presented thorough and concrete evidence showing how the applicant had modified her diet and lifestyle in accordance with the most current medical research. 

Our team of Auckland-based immigration advisers addressed all of the concerns of our client’s immigration officer, and eventually, her Essential Skills Work Visa was approved. 

Medical concerns raised during your visa process can not only be worrying - but they can also lead to your visa application being declined. And unfortunately it’s not just a matter of providing all of the requested medical information - your case officer’s decision often comes down to how well you represent your unique situation. For that reason, we encourage you to speak with an immigration adviser before you submit your application - regardless of which visa you’re applying for.

Are you struggling with your application - or have you run into a roadblock like the PPI we mentioned above?

Contact our team of immigration advisers now for a complimentary chat - after all, we’re here to help.