New Zealand Work Visa Requirements

A work visa is a necessary form of authorisation required by foreign nationals intending to undertake employment in a country where he/she is not naturally eligible to work in. A work visa can be in the form of a document or more commonly, a stamp in your passport and will state the validity period of your employment permit. Each jurisdiction will have a designated department to administer and issue work permits and it is important that the work visa is issued from the relevant authority. With regards to applying for a work visa, there are country specific requirements to satisfy in order to qualify for application. It should be noted that dependant on you nationality you may not be required to obtain a work permit for certain countries. Generally all jurisdictions with reciprocal treaty agreements (for example the European Union) do not stipulate that an EU citizen must obtain a work visa to enable them to live and work in EU countries. All jurisdictions have specific conditions which have to be satisfied in order for the applicant to qualify under the relevant work permit program and the nature of the applicant employment contract plays a large part in it.

Who requires a New Zealand Work Permit?

All foreign nationals are subject to the necessary work visa application procedures in order to obtain full authorization to engage in employment in New Zealand. Foreign nationals are applicants who are non New Zealand citizens. A work permit is also required where the foreign national partakes in unpaid or voluntary work in New Zealand.

Categories of New Zealand Work Permits

There are two main areas of New Zealand work permits; permanent and temporary work permits. Under the permanent work visa category are several subcategories. These are; Skilled Migrants, Work to Residence, residence form work and Employee transfers. Under the temporary work visa category the subcategories are; temporary work, working holidays and seasonal work. It is important to know which category is most applicable to your situation before applying for a work visa.

Skilled Migrants – Applicants seeking a work visa for New Zealand qualify under this program where they possess certain skills, specialist knowledge and qualifications which are in demand in New Zealand. This type of visa offers the holder the right to live and work in New Zealand permanently.

Work to Reside – under this program the applicant obtains a temporary work visa as an initial step towards obtaining a permanent residence permit in New Zealand. For foreign nationals to qualify under this program they must be a highly qualified person in a profession of demand in New Zealand, or they are significantly talented in arts. This type of New Zealand work permit is the most sought after by foreign nationals, the validity period of the Work to Reside (WTR) permit is for 2 years which is extendable on expiry in some cases.

Residence from work – This category is suitable for applicants who already hold a work to reside visa and are now seeking full right of permanent residence in New Zealand.

Employee Transfer – under this category the applicant will be an employee of a foreign company seeking to transfer to the New Zealand branch. This category is also applicable where a foreign company intends to relocate its operational business activity to New Zealand and requires its key employees to relocate as well.

A Temporary Work Visa – such visas are only issued to foreign nationals who have already received a formal offer of employment from a New Zealand company. Individual who possess skills in demand in New Zealand and those who wish to gain valuable work experience in New Zealand can also apply for a temporary work visa.

New Zealand Working Holiday Visa – If you are a citizen from one of the countries which New Zealand has a reciprocal treat agreement with for working holiday visas then you are entitled to apply for this visa. You must be between the ages of 18 – 30 years of age. This visa allows the holder to visit New Zealand for a 12 month period and allows for them to engage in short term employment as a means to fund their visit.

New Zealand Seasonal work visa – this type of visa is applicable to all foreign nationals who wish to work in New Zealand on a temporary basis within the horticulture and viticulture industries.

Silver Fern Visa

As of April 2010, the New Zealand Government introduced the ‘Silver Fern’ visa program which is designed to encourage young skilled foreign nationals to engage in employment in New Zealand. On approval of a silver fern visa, the holder (whom must be employed by a New Zealand employer) can then apply to extend the employment visa under the ‘Silver Fern Practical Experience’ program.

Required Documents for a New Zealand Work Visa include, but are not limited to;

- Valid passport and recent passport photos

- Completed application form

- Submission of relevant visa fee

- Employment contract

- Medical certificate

- Police clearance report

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