Work Visas

New Zealand has an extensive set of work visas for those who wish to work in New Zealand on a temporary basis. In many cases a Work Visa will be for your first step towards being able to secure Residence.

There are various types of Work Visas, although most require you to have an offer of employment first, before the Visa can be applied for. Work Visas generally specify the role that you will undertake, the employer you will work for and the location that work can be conducted in.

Securing a Work Visa is often one of the most important steps in any longer- term journey because even though a Work Visa is temporary, it often allows you to then work towards or have the time to apply for Residence.

Work Visas should not be taken for granted and require careful planning and execution to be successfully applied for. In most cases, you will need to have secured work with an Accredited Employer before you can apply and this also involves being invited to apply for the Visa by the employer.

We are often asked if you can secure a Work Visa without a job offer and the answer (for most applicants) is no, the job offer needs to come first.

If you are looking to move to New Zealand to work and have your eyes set on a longer term stay, then understanding how the Work Visa process fits in to the overall relocation road-map is really important. We recommend the following steps:

• Step 1 - Complete an online assessment of your eligibility for a Work Visa and for Residence

• Step 2 - Research your potential employability and potential salary level.

• Step 3 - Commence the documentation preparation process, before you start the job search.

• Step 4 - Prepare to travel to New Zealand in order to undertake the job search.

We can undertake a full assessment of your situation to determine what your options might be, how employable we believe you are and how the process can fit together so that you can come to work and then work to stay permanently.