A recent report has revealed that there have been certain changes made to the health requirements for both residents’ partners and dependent children along with pregnant temporary immigrants to New Zealand.

These changes will be effective from 21 November, 2011, which are resulted from the immigration review of health screening by the Cabinet.

Requirements for acceptable standard of health

With a motive to streamline the health screening, many significant changes to the INZ Operational Manual provisions have been made. These changes include:

• The spouse and the dependent children of New Zealand permanent residents will be provided with health waivers, who do not meet the health requirements for immigration. However, they shouldn’t meet a disqualifying condition;

• Applicants with a temporary entry class visa, who wish to give birth their children in New Zealand, will be considered to have an acceptable health standard. However, they have  to be bona fide and be able to cover up their maternity charges; and

• Pregnant applicants with temporary entry visa with pulmonary tuberculosis risk factors have go to through TB screening following their child birth.

Acceptable condition of health for residence applicants

• The applicants, who are applying for a residence class visas, have to meet the standards for acceptable condition of health, unless they have been provided with a medical waiver. A residence class visa application will be rejected, if the application is found to be not according to standard of health requirements and no medical waiver is provided to the applicant.

• The residence class visa applicants will be considered to meet the acceptable health standards, in case they are:

• Not a threat to public health; and

• Not imposing major demands or costs on health or special education services of New Zealand; and

• Capable of undertaking the job on the basis of which they are submitting a visa application, or which is necessary for visa grant.

• The requirements enlisted are considered to enforce significant charges or demands on health or special education services in New Zealand. If the immigration officer gets satisfied that the applicant can meet one of the enlisted conditions, he or she will be considered as not having a suitable standard of health.

• If the immigration officer doesn’t get satisfied that a residence class visa applicant has the acceptable standard of health, then they have to refer this matter to a New Zealand Immigration medical assessor for proper assessment.

• However, the referral to a New Zealand Immigration medical assessor is not necessary, if the applicant is the spouse or dependent child of a citizen or residence of New Zealand.