Look See Decide visitor visa - To look for work in New Zealand
The Look See Decide visitor visa enables you to travel to New Zealand to find employment. If you're from a visa waiver country, you don't need a visa before travelling to New Zealand. With that being said, New Zealand still requires that you meet certain criteria in order to be let into the country to look for a job. Below we'll look at the requirements for job seekers from visa waiver countries as well as the criteria for travellers from countries who do not qualify for a visa waiver.
What the officials at Immigration New Zealand look at:
- Is there is a chance you are entering New Zealand to look for work? and
- If you are not successful yare you likely to leave again? and / or
- Are you likely to find work? and / or
- Will you qualify for a work visa?
If the officials are not satisfied with any of the above, they can and will refuse you entry into New Zealand.
It is therefore crucial you read the information below and ensure you fully understand the requirements for going to New Zealand to look for work whilst on a visitor visa.
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You are from a visa waiver country
If you're from a visa waiver country, you could be turned away when arriving in New Zealand for the following reasons:
- You have severed ties with your home country and is now using the visa waiver arrangement to travel to New Zealand and stay in the country on a permanent basis. When you do this, you are contravening the intention of the visa waiver scheme.
- The visitor visa policy allows you entry into New Zealand and to look for work. This is provided you don’t intend to breach your visitor visa conditions by working, studying, overstaying etc. Therefore, if Immigration New Zealand (INZ) are not satisfied that you will return home in the event that you do not get a job offer or qualify for a work visa, INZ may consider that entry under the visa waiver scheme is not appropriate. For example, the immigration might not let you enter New Zealand if you've sold your assets and resigned from your job in your home country.
- INZ would also want to see that you have a pathway to a work visa. In a nutshell, your occupation must feature on one of the skills shortage lists and your experience and or qualifications must meet the ANZCO requirements.
In summary, you need to prove that you have a:
- Migration pathway to a work visa
- Good chance of securing a job
- Huge vested interest in returning to your home country if you do not secure a job.
What can you do to mitigate this risk?
Even though you may come from a visa waiver country you can still apply for a visitors visa for New Zealand prior to your arrival. This will afford Immigration New Zealand the chance to assess your case before you leave for New Zealand. It's of course critical that you fully disclose the purpose of your visit and supply documentation to back this up.
If INZ is satisfied they will issue you with a visitor visa. Note that the look, see and decide is INZ terminology which indicates the main purpose of your travels is to holiday in New Zealand. It means even though you're using the trip to look for work, and deciding whether you'd like to emigrate or not, the main purpose is still a holiday.
In summary:
- It is prudent for you to apply before departure for a Look See Decide visitor visa for looking for work in New Zealand.
- The risks of being declined entry on a Look See Decide visa application are reduced:
- if you can prove you have a pathway to a work visa, and
- are likely to be able to find employment in your field.
- Selling assets e.g. the family home. This would clearly indicate that you have taken steps to sever links with your home country and therefore have no intention of returning. The likelihood therefore of you breaching the terms of the visitor visa are deemed to be far greater. This will likely result in a declined visitor visa application or entry into New Zealand.
- Having family back home and keeping employment is a good indicator of your incentive to return.
Questions? Book a consultation call with one of
our licensed immigration advisors to get answers
To be clear:
Advising clients to sell up their assets, resign from employment and move their families to New Zealand on the visa waiver scheme, when their incentives to return are minimal, would in our view be poor advice.
You are not from a visa waiver country
In this case a Look See Decide visitor visa for looking for work in New Zealand is a must. You should apply for it before departing for New Zealand.
Our advice?
Based on our experience with working with Immigration New Zealand, we'll advise you to follow the four steps below whether you're from a visa waiver country or not:
(1) Be assessed
A formal written assessment will show clearly any migration pathway options. Thus ensuring:
- You do not spend money on a trip to New Zealand when you cannot get a work visa.
- You know what steps should be taken in order to maximise your chances of obtaining a job.
- INZ have proof of your ability to find work and obtain a work visa.
(2) Do not:
- Dispose of your assets.
- Ship your goods to New Zealand.
- Sever ties with your home country.
(3) Where advised:
- Apply and secure your Look See Decide visitor visa, for looking for work in New Zealand, before embarking on your trip.
(4) Take with you:
- Your migration paperwork such as assessments or applications.
- Confirmation from your adviser that:
- Confirms your intentions to look, see and decide.
- Shows your ability to obtain residence or a work visa in New Zealand.
- Explains your personal circumstances in your home country.
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