New Zealand

New Zealand - Essential Skills Work Visa

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Visa Description

If you’ve been offered a full-time job, and you have the necessary qualifications and experience to work in that job, you can apply for a temporary visa to work in New Zealand. Your employer must have checked if any New Zealanders were available to do the work, before offering you the job. If you're granted this visa, you may be able to support visa applications for your partner and dependent children.

Length of Stay
Up to 5 years depending on the skill level of the job you’re offered
What You Can Do?
  • Work in New Zealand for an employer who has offered you a full-time job.
  • Study for up to 3 months in any 12 month period, or do any study required as part of your employment.
Visa Notes
  • Your employer needs to try to recruit any suitable New Zealanders who are available to do the work before offering you the job.
  • Your partner or dependent children may be able to apply separately for visas based on their relationship to you.
  • This visa doesn't allow self-employment. If you want to be self-employed, you can apply for an Entrepreneur Work Visa.
Visa Criteria
  • Identity
    You must provide proof of your identity
  • Character
    You must be of good character
  • Health
    You must be in good health
  • Genuine intentions
    You must genuinely intend to meet the conditions of your visa
  • New Zealand job offer
    You must have an offer of full-time work
  • Availability of New Zealanders
    There must be no New Zealanders available to do the work you’ve been offered
  • Qualifications and/or experience
    You must be qualified to do the work you’ve been offered
  • Occupational registration
    You may need New Zealand registration
  • Not subject to stand-down period
    You must not currently be required to spend 12 consecutive months outside New Zealand (subject to a ‘stand-down period’)

This visa will be closing to new applications on 31 October 2021. It will be replaced by the Accredited Employer Work Visa from 1 November 2021. Click Here


For more information on this visa, criteria and costs, please visit: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/

Visa Costs
NZ $495