New zealand work visa requirements

New Zealand has a points-based system for work visas, which assesses applicants based on their skills, qualifications, work experience, and language proficiency. Here are the general requirements for work visas in New Zealand:

Work Visa Categories:

  1. Essential Skills Work Visa: For workers with skills that are in short supply in New Zealand.
  2. Work to Residence Visa: For workers who want to work in New Zealand for a certain period and then apply for residency.
  3. Sponsored Work Visa: For workers who have a job offer from a New Zealand employer.
  4. International Recognition Work Visa: For workers who have qualifications recognized by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

General Requirements:

  1. Age: You must be at least 18 years old to apply for a work visa.
  2. Language: You must have a good understanding of English, as demonstrated by a language test such as IELTS or TOEFL.
  3. Qualifications: You must have a relevant qualification for your job, which is recognized by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
  4. Work Experience: You must have relevant work experience in your field, which is recognized by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
  5. Job Offer: You must have a job offer from a New Zealand employer, unless you are applying for an Essential Skills Work Visa.
  6. Points: You must score at least 160 points on the points-based system, which assesses your skills, qualifications, work experience, and language proficiency.

Points-Based System:

  1. Age: 30 points (if you are under 30 years old) or 20 points (if you are 30-39 years old).
  2. Qualifications: 40 points (if you have a bachelor's degree or higher) or 20 points (if you have a diploma or certificate).
  3. Work Experience: 30 points (if you have 2-5 years of work experience) or 20 points (if you have 1-2 years of work experience).
  4. Language: 20 points (if you have a good understanding of English).
  5. Job Offer: 20 points (if you have a job offer from a New Zealand employer).

Additional Requirements:

  1. Health and Character: You must meet New Zealand's health and character requirements.
  2. Police Certificate: You may need to provide a police certificate from your home country and any countries where you have lived for the past 5 years.
  3. Tuberculosis Test: You may need to provide a tuberculosis test result if you are from a country where tuberculosis is common.

Processing Time:

The processing time for work visas in New Zealand can vary depending on the complexity of your application and the workload of the Immigration New Zealand office. Generally, it can take around 4-6 weeks to process a work visa application.

Fees:

The fees for work visas in New Zealand vary depending on the type of visa and the duration of your stay. Generally, the fees range from NZD $500 to NZD $2,000.

It's important to note that these are general requirements and that specific requirements may vary depending on your individual circumstances. It's recommended that you check with Immigration New Zealand or a licensed immigration adviser for the most up-to-date information and to ensure that you meet the requirements for your specific work visa application.