Students can apply for a permanent resident visa permit after living successfully for two years without interruption. Also one has to ensure that they are going to stay in Newzeland for the following five years uninterruptedly.
For more details, refer to the Immigration New Zealand Website.
If the resident visa has recently expired because the applicant is outside NZ, he/she may be eligible for a second or subsequent resident visa, under some circumstances.
In Newzeland, permanent residency can be obtained in three categories. They are:
The Skilled Migrant Category is an assessment system based on points.
Under this category, applicants will get the score points based on factors like qualification, age, job offer and work experience.
This Skilled Migrant Category is a two step process. In the first step, applicants will submit their filled form. It will take six weeks to process the application. Successful applicants will get an invitation to apply for a permanent residence.
However, the applicants must meet some mandatory requirements like medical clearance and they should score an IELTS band of 6.5.
For those who are applying under this category are highly recommended to secure a job and work Visa before applying itself.
To conclude, the skilled Migrant Category is for those who are highly skilled and sought after employees.
Under Family Category Immediate Family Members like Spouse, Children, and Grand Children are allowed to get a Permanent Residence Permit.
Applicants who have been living with a New Zealand resident from the past 12 months are only eligible to obtain Permanent Residency under this Category. At any cost this one year period of time should be met.