Should you wish to obtain a temporary work visa for New Zealand, then please be aware that there are certain requirements that you will need to meet. Temporary visas allow you to work, study and visit New Zealand for a set period of time. In some cases a temporary visa may lead to permanent residence.

Who should apply for a temporary work visa for New Zealand?

The temporary work visa for New Zealand is geared towards the following people:

• People who have a job offer from a New Zealand employer.
• People who are coming for a specific purpose or event.
• People who wish to gain working experience in New Zealand.
• People who wish to work after studying in New Zealand.
• People who wish to join their partner and work.

People who do not need a visa

There are certain conditions where you will not need a work visa to work in New Zealand.

This applies to:

• A New Zealand citizen.
• If you hold a New Zealand residence visa.
• An Australian citizen.
• If you are the holder of a current Australian permanent residence visa including a current Australian resident return visa.

There are also certain types of work which do not require a work visa. If your employment in New Zealand involves certain visits or work for official trade missions recognised by the New Zealand government, or work for overseas governments, you may be able to do it while on a visitor visa.

Requirements for a temporary work visa for New Zealand

There are a number of requirements that all applicants need to meet for a temporary work visa.

To enter New Zealand you must:

• Be in good health and of good character.
• Have a passport that is valid for at least three months past the date you are to leave New Zealand.
• Have genuine intentions and reasons for wanting to work in New Zealand.
• Have the correct visa for your visit.

Should you be granted a temporary work visa you need to meet certain conditions during your stay:

• The work you do must be in line with the conditions specified in your visa.
• You must keep within New Zealand’s laws.
• You must only stay in New Zealand for the time allowed by your visa.

Please be aware that if you break any of these conditions you will be required to leave New Zealand immediately.

Requirements for different categories

As well as meeting the general requirements, you must meet the requirements of the category under which you are applying for a temporary work visa.

Temporary work visas are granted under different categories and it is essential that you also meet the requirements for that particular category.

What are the different New Zealand Temporary Work Visa categories?

Some of the many New Zealand temporary work visa categories include:

• Essential Skills
• Family Stream
• Specific Purpose or Event
• Students and Trainees
• Study to Work
• Work Exchange Schemes
• China Skilled Workers Category
• China Special Work Category
• China Skilled Workers Category
• China Special Work Category
• Indonesia Special Work Category
• Philippines Special Work Category
• Vietnam Special Work Category

To read more about each temporary work visa category feel free to click here.

I need help with my temporary work visa for New Zealand

If you need help with your temporary work visa for New Zealand or you have any questions about emigration to New Zealand, then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Emigrating to New Zealand to work and live is one of the best decisions you can ever make. Very strict employment rights in New Zealand are implemented in the work place.

This all adds up to a very secure and fair workplace. The employment rights in New Zealand help people to stay in the same companies for many years if they wish to do so.

Today we wanted to share with your some of the amazing employment rights in New Zealand. It can be said without a shadow of a doubt that these rights are not available in all countries and people who work in New Zealand are very fortunate.

New employment rights in New Zealand

From the 1st of April 2016, new employment rights in New Zealand have been put in place. These changes make the employment rights in New Zealand even better and help to keep employees safe in the workplace.

Some of the new employment right changes include:

• 18 weeks’ parental leave payments made available to primary careers other than biological or adoptive parents.
• Parental leave payment is extended to include workers who have worked for any employer for any 26 of the 52 weeks prior to becoming the primary carer to a child, and therefore includes:
  • Casual and seasonal workers.
  • People with more than one employer.
  • A person who has recently changed jobs.

Read more about the new employment rights here.

Public holidays

Employees are entitled to 11 public holidays off work. If an employee works on a public holiday they must at least be paid time and a half.

Sick leave

After six months an employee is entitled to five days sick leave on pay. They are entitled to five days sick leave for every 12 months after that. Sick leave can be taken if:

• the employee is sick or injured, or
• the employee’s spouse or partner is sick or injured, or
• a person who depends on the employee is sick or injured.

Minimum wage

Employers and employees may agree to any wage rate as long as it is not less than the applicable minimum wage rate. Starting out workers must be paid at least the starting out minimum wage rate, and trainees over 20 years of age must be paid at least the training minimum wage rate.

Equal pay and equal rights

Employers can’t discriminate in hiring or firing, paying, training or promoting an employee because of race, colour, national or ethnic origin, sex or sexual orientation, marital or family status, employment status, age, religious belief, ethical belief or political opinion, disability, or participation in certain union activities. This is the employment rights in New Zealand as stipulated by law.

Flexible working arrangements

All employees have a statutory right to request a change to their hours of work, days of work, or place of work. Employers must consider a request and can refuse it only on certain grounds.

Do you want to work in New Zealand?

If you think that the New Zealand employment rights are fantastic and that New Zealand may be the place for you, then you have come to the right place.

Our licensed advisor can assess your eligibility to check if you meet the requirements to apply for a work visa. If the outcome is positive, our team will work with you to submit a complete visa application.

Ready to get started? Book your consultation call right away.

Prior to making the decision to move to New Zealand, the big question that needs to be asked is: are there genuine employment prospects in New Zealand?

The truth is that there are some amazing employment prospects in New Zealand. However there are various factors which need to be taken into account such as your skill set.

If you are curious about the employment prospects in New Zealand, and wish to learn more, then this blog post is for you.

What is unique about the employment prospects in New Zealand, in comparison to other countries?

The good news is that New Zealand need to attract skilled migrants. This is actually to the point where the GDP of New Zealand would suffer badly if the country were not to find sufficient skilled migrants.

A rolling three year target is in place. The number of immigrants which New Zealand have to attract is currently at 150,000.

Should you fit the requirements, be assured that New Zealand wants you. This makes the employment prospects in New Zealand unique and the option of migrating to New Zealand more obtainable.

How do I go about finding employment prospects in New Zealand?

New Zealand offers all sorts of excellent working opportunities for skilled workers. One of the most popular ways that people get an opportunity to work in New Zealand is via the skilled migration visa. The skilled migration visa provides many people from all over the world the path to permanent residency in New Zealand.

What skills are in demand in New Zealand?

Some of the many skills in demand include: education, health, finance and more. However it is important to understand there are distinct categories of skill shortages. For example, there are skills which cover long term shortages, others which cover immediate shortages and others which cover Canterbury shortages.

Where can I go to see the specific skill shortages in New Zealand?

In order to see exactly what the skills shortages in New Zealand are, it is advisable that you check out the New Zealand skill shortages lists.

The New Zealand skill shortages lists are:

• The Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL),
• The Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL) and
• The Canterbury Skill Shortage List (CSSL).

You can download the skill shortage lists from the various categories here.

Find if you qualify for a Skilled Migrant Visa of New Zealand

Book a consultation call with Sarah Hewitt, our licensed advisor, and you’ll find out if you meet the requirements to apply for a Skilled Migrant Visa.

You’ll also discover how the application process works and what the costs and timelines are.

Our licensed advisor is registered with the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA) of New Zealand, so you can rest assured that you’re getting advice you can trust.