Work Visas

There are a host of work visas to be taken advantage of in New Zealand. While all of these are provisional, some will present options for residency.

Essential Skills work visas

This visa is subject to the terms of individual job offers and will be temporary dependent on salaries and market conditions.

What you need to know

When your qualifications and experience meet the requirements of positions featured on New Zealand’s occupational skills shortage lists (or Essential Skills in Demand Lists) you can apply for a temporary Essential Skills work visa.

This is a simpler way to enter the New Zealand job market, as Immigration New Zealand (INZ) regularly assesses these lists to verify that there is a deficit in nationals with the correct skill sets applying for roles.

If your desired job position is not on the skills shortage list, you may still be able to apply for this visa – as long as employers can demonstrate that they have followed all the necessary protocols for hiring native workers.

Individuals hoping to obtain Essential Skills visas will need to apply for a separate residency visa if they plan to stay in New Zealand for a significant amount of time. The Essential Skills visa is designed to revive sectors that are lacking a proficient workforce and won’t meet residency requirements alone.

Having said this, it may be worthwhile to keep in mind that Essential Skills work visas in highly-qualified fields may gain points that go towards residence visas, under the Skilled Migrant Category.

Work to Residence visas

Non-native job seekers will be able to select one of two Work to Residence visas. When using either of these, those working in the same position in New Zealand for a minimum of 24 months will be able to apply for residency visas.

1. Work to Residence: Long Term Skill Shortage
   Those with long-term job offers that appear on the Long Term Skill Shortage List may be able to apply for a Work to Residence Visa. There will be restrictions regarding qualifications, your overall health, your age and your character.
2. Work to Residence: Accredited Employer
   Permanent (or long-term) job offers that are offered by Immigration New Zealand accredited employers may also meet the requirements for a second Work to Residence visa. This will be subjected to the same requirements as the Long Term Skill Shortage visa above (plus additional restrictions).

   Skilled Migrant Category

If your skills, qualifications and experience align with the needs of a host of roles experiencing a drop in native applicants, you may also meet the requirements for a resident visa under the Skilled Migrant visa Category.

This is a points-based system that accumulates data categorised by factors including work experience and offers of skilled employment. Applicants will need to be under the age of 55, speak English, be in good health and meet character appraisals.

It is important to note that non-native job seekers can bring their partner and children to New Zealand with them – you can visit other pages on this website to find out more.

Common mistakes for Skilled Migrant Category applicants to avoid

If you make any of the following mistakes during the application process, you may forfeit points.

Unrecognised Qualifications
Points can only be claimed against qualifications that adhere to the regulations of the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment, or ones that have been assessed by NZQA.

Misaligned work experience
Points claimed in accordance with work experience must be relevant to the role or field of the job offer. If this isn’t the case, differing experience can suffice as long as it falls into a comparable labour market, in an occupation listed on the Long Term Skill Shortage List, or if the role is offered by a multinational company.

Unmet bonus point requirements
The Long Term Skill Shortage List has a host of strict requirements and you will need to adhere to these to claim work experience bonus points.

Residence from Work Category

Those who have lived and worked in New Zealand for two years on a Work to Residence visa may qualify for residency status under the Residence from Work Category. This is one of the best ways to upgrade from a temporary work agreement and gain residency without having to follow typical protocol. If residency is awarded, you’ll be able to live in New Zealand indefinitely and will have the opportunity to access an array of publicly funded services.

To qualify, you’ll need to have resided in New Zealand under a Work to Residence visa for two years, meet the necessary health and character requirements and have supporting documentation from one of the following visas:

Accredited Employer work visas
Those awarded temporary work visas for roles undertaken with accredited New Zealand employers can apply for a residence class visa under the Residence from Work (Accredited Employers) Category – also known as Talent (Accredited Employer) visas. To apply, you’ll need to:

• Be in receipt of a Talent (Accredited Employer) Work visa for a minimum of 24 months
• Have undertaken full-time employment for that period with an accredited employer
• Have a minimum base salary of NZ$55,000 per year and be actively working
• Be in receipt of either full or provisional registration when practising in New Zealand (if applicable)

Long Term Skill Shortage List work visas
Residency under the Long Term Skill Shortage List Category can be applied for if you were awarded a role under a temporary work visa for a New Zealand employer that features on the Long Term Skill Shortage List. To apply, you’ll need to:

• Be in receipt of a Long Term Skill Shortage List Work visa for a minimum of 24 months
• Have undertaken full-time employment for that period in a role featured on the Long Term Skill Shortage List
• Have a minimum base salary of NZ$45,000 per year and be actively working
• Be under the age of 55
• Be in receipt of either full or provisional registration when practising in New Zealand (if applicable)

Other visa options

For other visa options, you can navigate this website to find out more information, or alternatively, go to the Immigration New Zealand website.

How to apply for work visas

• Undertake self assessment – Check that you adhere to all of the necessary requirements (calculate your points)
• Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) – This will come with fees and will require specific offices information
• Submit an EOI online – This will be possible if you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This typically occurs when potential applicants have 160+ points and are selected from the EOI pool
• Submit a resident application – This will come with fees and will require specific offices information
• Submit your resident application – Forms can be provided by our team
• Receive your visa – If successful in your application, you will be issued a resident visa