Skilled Work Visas
Looking for a work visa to live and work in New Zealand?
I’ll help you to obtain the right NZ work visa for your situation.
What is a Skilled Work Visa?
A “skilled work visa” is a type of work visa which may be granted if you have the skills a New Zealand employer requires.
Skilled work visas stand in contrast to other types of work visa which don’t require you to possess particular skills, such as Partnership Work Visas, Post Study Work Visas, Working Holiday Visas and Recognised Seasonal Employer Work Visas.
Eligibility Requirements
As the name suggests, a key requirement for a skilled work visa is that you possess the particular skills, qualifications and experience required by a New Zealand employer or organisation. Therefore, most skilled work visas require you to have an offer of employment from a New Zealand employer or be sponsored by a New Zealand organisation.
Types of Skilled Work Visa
There are several different types of New Zealand skilled work visas, two of which provide potential pathways to New Zealand residence.
Accredited Employer Work Visa
The most common type of skilled work visa, this is for if you:have a job offer from a New Zealand employer that holds accreditation with Immigration New Zealand
that the employer has successfully applied for and been issued with a “job check” with Immigration New Zealand in respect of the job on offer
you possess the skills, knowledge and attributes required for the job on offer, as stipulated in the job check.
Holders of an Accredited Employer Work Visa might also be eligible to apply for a Skilled Residence Visa through the ‘Skilled Residence - Green List Work to Residence’, ‘Care Workforce Work to Residence’ or Transport Sector Work to Residence’ categories.
If the job you’ve been offered pays at or above the median wage, you may be granted an Accredited Employer Work Visa of three years’ duration (five years from 27 November 2023) . If it pays less than the median wage, you may be granted a visa of a shorter duration (the duration of which will depend on the job and industry), if the job falls within one of the permitted exceptions to the median wage requirement.
Religious Worker Work Visa
This is a work visa for if you are a religious worker and sponsored by a religious organisation in New Zealand which meets Immigration New Zealand’s requirements and can demonstrate a genuine need for you to work for that organisation as a religious worker. Holders of a Religious Worker Work Visa may also be eligible to apply for New Zealand Residence once they have held a Religious Worker Work Visa for at least 3 years and meet other requirements. Work visas can be granted for up to two years initially, with the potential to apply for up to a further two years.Specific Purpose Work Visa
This is a visa for if you need to come to NZ for a specific purpose or event and for a specific period of time. It includes, for example, senior or specialist businesspeople on secondments, businesspeople wishing to undertake business activities in New Zealand, entertainment industry sector workers, sports players, professional coaches and specialist installers. The duration of visas granted under this visa category will depend on the type of specific purpose or event.
Helping You Avoid Common Skilled Work Visa Pitfalls
Each of the above visa categories contains a number of strict requirements and areas you can get caught out, which are not always obvious, especially if you’re not familiar with the process.
As a qualified and highly experienced Immigration Lawyer (and not just an immigration consultant or adviser), you can trust me to navigate you through the complexities of the work visa process to secure your visa
Problems With Your Application? Declined Application?
Has Immigration New Zealand written to you to raise concerns about your work visa application or to decline it? Is your situation particularly complex, for example, because you or your partner has a criminal record, or you or a family member included in your application has a health issue? As a specialist immigration lawyer, I can assist with:
Responses to PPI (“potentially prejudicial information”) letters
Character and medical waiver requests
Reconsideration Requests for declined onshore applications
Section 61 Requests for people who become unlawful in New Zealand.
Further information about my services for assisting with immigration problems can be found here.
I’m more than happy to chat about assisting you on the path of a skilled work visa.
Why Choose Me As Your Immigration Lawyer?
As a specialist immigration lawyer, I hate seeing people with valuable skills, experience and a desire to live and work in New Zealand confused and frustrated by the many options and pathways available.
I’ve helped hundreds of overseas workers from across the globe to obtain New Zealand skilled work and residence visas. Experienced in both sides of the process, I also work with a variety of NZ employers across a wide range of industries.
Drawing on my extensive New Zealand immigration knowledge and experience and applying a high level of attention to detail and care, I will support you through the complexities of the skilled work visa process to give your application the best chance of success.
Importantly, I am not an "Immigration Adviser” or “Consultant”. I’m a NZ Immigration Lawyer, having completed a 4 year Law Degree and post qualification courses (Immigration Advisers / Consultants only need to complete a 1 year course to practice). Regulated by the New Zealand Law Society, I am required to charge fair and reasonable fees and represent my clients in accordance with strict ethical and professional rules.
Recent Success Stories
“I’m very grateful to have had James’s help with my visa. He’s very knowledgeable in his field and never fails to provide detailed advice. James supported me all the way through, he is the best immigration lawyer I have ever known.”
“James provided great advice and handled my visa application professionally. He is very responsive and made sure I got my required documents done correctly. I’m very grateful to have him as my immigration lawyer. Highly recommended.”
I’m more than happy to chat about assisting you on the path of a skilled work visa.