Depending on your partner's situation, you can apply for a visa to work in New Zealand while they're also here working. A Partner of a Worker Work visa allows you to join your partner, work in New Zealand, and study for up to 3 months.
New Zealand work visa holders can include their partners and children in their applications. However, they will only be granted the length of the visa to match the work visa. So you will both need to apply for a new visa before it expires.
A partner is a legal term that refers to your relationship with another person, like a spouse. A partnership is defined as two people of the same or opposite sex who have lived together in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months. The types of partnerships that INZ recognises include:
A partnership requires you and your partner, an NZ work visa holder or applicant, to meet the following criteria:
When Immigration New Zealand reviews a partnership application, the following factors are taken into account, which assists them in assessing and determining whether the relationship meets the requirements.
We often are asked what a genuine relationship is in the eyes of Immigration NZ. So to put it simply, a genuine relationship is defined as having been entered into on a long-term and exclusive basis and is likely to endure.
A genuine relationship is well-known and accepted by your family and friends. It's also a public relationship that is clear to see, regularly talked about and proven. So if your employer or grandmother doesn't know you are in a serious relationship, this would raise a red flag with an NZ immigration officer.
Your relationship also needs to be known by government agencies, as you should declare you are in a partnership on any forms or documents that ask it of you. So if you are on a single parent benefit through WINZ while applying for a partnership visa, this raises red flags and can equal a declined application.
Here are some examples of evidence that can be used to prove a stable and genuine relationship:
We help you check through these things before you apply. We can go through all of the places an Immigration Officer will look to see if you are telling the truth on your application and about the length of time of the relationship.
When one of a couple obtains a job offer, the decision is often made to move to New Zealand together. In fact, in most cases, both partners would rarely have secured a job offer at the same time.
A Partner of an NZ Worker visa allows you to be with your partner while they are in New Zealand on a work visa. It is an open Work visa that can allow you to work for any employer in New Zealand.
The general requirements for partner work visas are:
Several work visas do not support work, visits or studying for the partner or family entering. These are:
Various partnership visas allow migrants to work in New Zealand if their partner has an NZ work visa. With your work visa, you can normally support the following visas for your partner and dependent children:
INZ's big reset of the immigration system aims to make it easier for employers to fill skill shortages via an Accredited Employers Work Visa (AEWV NZ). If your partner already holds an AEWV, you could be eligible to join them and work in New Zealand.
Your partner who holds the AEWV must meet INZ's requirements and earn above the median wage to support a work visa for their partner.
The government announced that from 4 July 2022, partners are eligible for an open work visa as long as the first applicant (the AEWV holder) earns above the median wage of NZ$27.76 an hour.
If you can not support your partner or dependent children, they can also supply independently to gain their own visas.
What is the Application Process for a Partner of a Worker Work Visa?
The partner who holds the AEWV must first meet all of INZ's requirements.
For more details about the application process, talk to a licensed immigration adviser. Call Malcolm Pacific Immigration today to discuss your concerns or book a free appointment to see how we can work with you.
How Much Does the Partnership Visa Application Cost?
Applying for a Partner of a Worker Work Visa can cost upwards of NZ$700. The cost covers INZ's time for processing the application. However, it is important to note that INZ does not refund application costs if applications are declined.
Contact our team of licensed immigration advisers for expert advice and guidance on the process.
If you're a migrant holding an AEWV already, you can support your partner in getting a visitor visa. Otherwise, if your partner is granted an AEWV, they can work under 30 hours per week.
If you're an AEWV holder working in New Zealand in an occupation on the Green List or are paid twice the median wage, you can help support your partner to work in New Zealand. For example, in this circumstance, you can support a work visa with open work rights for your partner. To save on stress, let Malcolm Pacific Immigration take care of the whole process.
For partners, it is usually an issue of insufficient evidence of shared finances or lack of rental agreements to show that you have been living together long enough. A marriage certificate won't be enough. Proving a genuine and stable relationship takes a lot of work for any New Zealand visa.
Our experienced Licensed Immigration Advisers at Malcolm Pacific Immigration can help you avoid the lengthy and challenging process of applying for a Partner of Worker Work Visa in New Zealand. We can review your application and evidence and understand where Immigration will need to investigate to prove your relationship is genuine.
If you've already started the process, we can advocate on your behalf after your application has been submitted and address any issues raised by your Immigration Officer. We will work to resolve any problems and help you provide any additional evidence needed to back up your claims.
When we speak to your Immigration Officer on your behalf, we're armed with the background knowledge of similar cases and how they were remedied and approved. We know what to say and what they want from you. Your chances of a quick, problem-free approval are significantly increased when you choose to use the services of a reputable Licensed Immigration Adviser.
You can get in touch with us through our Contact Form, by calling 0800 800 612 or by popping into one of our offices in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington or Queenstown during business hours.
Our highly experienced licensed Immigration team will take away the stress and worry of navigating the complicated world of New Zealand Immigration. All you need to do is get in touch. Our team is on standby, ready to help.
Our highly experienced licensed Immigration team will take away the stress and worry of navigating the complicated world of New Zealand Immigration. All you need to do is get in touch. Our employer team is on standby, ready to help.
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Today the government announced a pathway to residence for migrant workers who are living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave who are eligible to apply. The second wave can apply from 1 March 2022. The deadline to lodge an application is 31 July 2022 or else they will miss out on this one off opportunity.
Today the government announced a pathway to residence for people living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave eligible to apply. The second wave can apply from 1 March 2022. The deadline to lodge an application is 31 July 2022 or else you miss the boat.
The government has moved the introduction of the new employer accreditation process across to mid-2022. At the same time, the Minister of Immigration announced new work visa rules for migrant workers who are already in New Zealand and working full time.
The government has increased the median wage to $27 per hour from 19 July. Any Skilled Migrant residence application lodged after this date will need to include a skilled job offer that pays at least $27 per hour. For some lower-skilled occupations, the minimum pay rate increases to $40.50 per hour.
From 19 July 2021
From 30 June 2021
Employers of migrant workers must become accredited from 1 November 2021 before work visa applications can be processed. Most employers are not accredited. Those that are accredited will have to roll into the new system when it goes live in late September.
From mid-2020 (delayed)
Skilled occupation "Dairy Cattle Farmer" spilt into three occupations. New occupations are: "Dairy Farm Manager", "Assistant Dairy Farm Manager" and "Dairy Herd Manager". Each sit at different skill levels, therefore, the award of points will depend on pay rates, job tasks and other requirements.
From 15 February 2021
The government has deferred the fortnightly selection of Expressions of Interest from the Skilled Migrant pool for six months (to be reviewed in April 2021). Invitations to Apply for Residence remain suspended. The last selection from the Skilled Migrant pool took place on 18/03/2020.
From 7 October 2020
The government added four new occupations that are now regarded as skilled employment and may qualify for job offer points under the Skilled Migrant Category. These are:
Aged or disabled carer, Bicycle mechanic, Driller and Nursing Support worker.
From 27 July 2020
Anyone invited by Immigration NZ to apply for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category where their invitation is dated between 1 November 2019 and 15 April 2020 (inclusive) has now been granted an additional six months to lodge their residence application.
From 27 May 2020
The government has deferred the fortnightly selection of Expressions of Interest from the Skilled Migrant pool. This means Invitations to Apply for Residence are also suspended. Malcolm Pacific Immigration does not anticipate selections to resume until after the general election held on 17 October 2020.
Immigration NZ is now prioritising Skilled Migrant Residence applications where the main (principal) applicant meets the criteria:
From 24 February 2020
From 7 October 2019
The government recently added more occupations that are now to be regarded as skilled employment and may qualify for job offer points under the Skilled Migrant Category. In order to qualify for points, the job must be paying at least the current median wage (or higher for certain occupations) at the time the residence application is lodged.
From 1 November 2021
From 1 November 2021 anyone who is not a NZ citizen must be fully vaccinated (unless exempt) before travelling to New Zealand. Fully vaccinated means your last dose of vaccine was given at least 14 days before travelling and it was an approved vaccine.
Applications for employer accreditation closed at the end of June 2021. Applications lodged before the closure date are still being processed. New applications for accreditation open on 9 May 2022. The process will be quite different to what employers have experienced in the past. Businesses will need to meet minimum standards.
Wednesday, 1 December is fast approaching and it is estimated that around 16,000 individuals and families can apply in the first wave for the 2021 Resident Visa opening next month. It is exciting for the thousands of people who have been waiting patiently to become residents that finally the finish line is in sight.
The first wave of applicants can apply from 1 December 2021. Around 16,000 applications are expected in this first wave. The second wave opens on 1 March 2022. In total, the government expects approximately 110,000 applications that will include about 165,000 people.
The second group of workers who can apply online for the 2021 Resident Visa that opens on 1 March 2022 are those who hold an eligible work visa and either meet "Settled", "Skilled" or "Scarce" as set out above. In total Immigration NZ estimate around 110,000 people will qualify to apply for this visa.
The first group of workers who can apply online for the 2021 Resident Visa that opens on 1 December 2021 are those that on 29/09/2021:
Is this the only requirement to qualify for residence? No. In addition to the eligible work visa criteria workers also need to be regarded as one of the following:
People who were lawfully in NZ (or in Australia when the travel bubble closed between April and July 2021) on 29/09/2021 need to meet the visa eligibility criteria:
The government has introduced a limited pathway to residence for people who are already living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave of people eligible to apply. The second wave opens on 1 March 2022. The deadline to apply for the 2021 Resident Visa is 31 July 2022.
A small number of critical health workers (taking up jobs for six months or longer) or specialist workers (taking up jobs that are for longer than six months) who were granted border exemptions may also have eligibility for the 2021 Resident Visa. They will need to have arrived in NZ and lodge a 2021 Resident Visa application.
*Excludes high-risk countries.
*Excludes high-risk countries.
The work visa categories set to close are:
From September 2022 people holding job offers in a small number of occupations may apply for residence. Some occupations are a direct pathway to residence and others require a period of two years or longer before applying.
There are qualification and/or occupational registration requirements to meet. Establishing if an overseas qualification matches the NZ equivalent qualification before applying is paramount for success.