Temporary Skilled Migration
Essential Skills
This policy is applicable to you if you have a qualifying job offer from a New Zealand employer who is not necessarily an accredited employer but the job offer appears on the skill shortages lists.
Requirements you must meet
In addition to meeting good health and good character requirements, you will need to prove that you are suitably qualified for the position by showing evidence of qualifications or training you have undertaken or work experience you have gained. When assessing whether you are suitably qualified for a position, we will consider whether you have the qualifications and/or work experience described as the prerequisite for the occupation on the ANZSCO.
The ANZSCO is a list of occupations that we use as part of the assessment of applications under Essential Skills policy. It provides information about:
- the skill level of an occupation (ranging from skill level one for the highest skilled positions, to skill level five for the lowest skilled)
- the tasks and duties normally undertaken in an occupation
- the level of the qualification and/or amount of work experience required to work in an occupation
Requirements your job offer must meet
Your job offer must come from a New Zealand employer who can prove to us that there are no suitable New Zealand workers available to do the job. This can be done in three ways.
The employer can request permission from NZIS to recruit overseas workers. This will have been done before you apply for a work visa. This is termed approval in principle.
The employer provides the proof of a comprehensive recruitment campaign and evidence of a genuine shortage of New Zealand residents or citizens fill the role, as part of your work visa application process.
The job you are offered appears on one of the skill shortages list.
Work to Residency
Working temporarily in New Zealand can also be a step towards gaining residence and settling here permanently.
If your talent or skills are needed by New Zealand employers, or you have exceptional talent in the arts, culture or sports, you can apply to work in New Zealand under the Work to Residence category.
There are a number of requirements that you will need to meet to get a visa and/or permit under the Work to Residence category. In this section you can find out whether you need a work visa or permit, whether you will qualify, and what a Work to Residence visa or permit will allow you to do.
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