650 applicants from across the Pacific will be drawn out of a ballot today and given the chance to apply for residency in New Zealand.
Immigration to New Zealand. Photo: RNZ
The applicants have registered under the Pacific Access Category quota which each year offers 75 places each to Kiribati and Tuvalu and 250 in Tonga and in Fiji.
All those selected must be between 18 to 45 years old, they or their partners must have a job offer that can pay enough to support their family in New Zealand and they also must be able to read, write and speak in English.
Geoff Scott from Immigration New Zealand said about 10,500 registrations were received this year and those selected would be announced next week Friday.
Pacific Immigration lawyer Richard Small is among some who have raised concerns in the past about the scheme not working.
Mr Small said many of those selected never meet the requirements of the scheme.
