New Zealand Work Visa Requirements Explained

Do you imagine that you will be working amongst the fjords and cityscape of Aotearoa (New Zealand)? The most important step is the acquisition of a work visa. As 2025 approaches with major policy changes (such as the median wage regulation and family sponsorship) to consider, it would be important to know The New Zealand Work visa Requirements Explained 2025 to make a successful application.

The First and the Necessary: Job and Employer Requirements

New Zealand visa process is dependent on the job and the employer. You need to get an offer of an honest job with a pre-authorised company.

Accreditation and check of the employer

The basis of the majority of temporary work visas is the AEWV, which is carried out in a three-step process of which two steps concern your employer.

• Employer Accreditation: The employer has to be an accredited employer with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) in regard to being a financially stable and compliant employer. This should always be confirmed by checking the Accreditation status check Immigration NZ employer tool.
• Job Check Approval: The employer has to demonstrate that the job is actually necessary and that it complies with the New Zealand standards of employment. The Job Check ensures verification of ANZSCO code for work visa and wage compliance in New Zealand.

Wage and Skill Level Requirements

The amount of pay and the level of skills you perform affects the length of your visa and the right to bring your family directly:

• Wage Requirement: Wages should be at least the amount of the New Zealand minimum wage (which is currently NZD $23.50 per hour and as of April 1, 2025) and the wage should be at the market rate salary requirement of AEWV at that job and location. Most temporary visas have been exempted of the previous median wage requirement.
• Skill Level (ANZSCO): ANZSCO code verification of New Zealand work visa specifies your maximum stay:
• ANZSCO Skill Level 1-3 (Skilled Roles): A maximum of 5 years of total continuous stay.
• ANZSCO Skill Level 4-5 (Lower-Skilled Roles): A maximum of 3 years of continuous stay.

Mandatory Requirements of an Applicant (The “You”餐)

After approving your job offer and Job Check that was given by the employer, you apply to the visa itself. You have to fulfill basic personal needs.

Health and Character Requirements

New Zealand has very strict entry criteria, which every applicant must satisfy:

• Character: You are required to produce Police certificate requirements of NZ work visa of any country in which you have lived 12 months or above and have spent 10 years or above since 17 years of age. INZ measures this using their criteria Good character Immigration NZ.
• Health: Depending on the country of origin and intended duration of stay, this might also require a medical exam and chest x-ray with a panel physician who is approved by INZ. It is included in the Health and character requirements of New Zealand visa.

Some Qualifications and Experience

You need to be declared as having been found to be suitably qualified to the position provided:

• Job-related skills information AEWV: In most positions, you must show that you have had at least 2 years of relevant experience in working or an equivalent qualification (NZQF Level 4 or higher). This condition has been cut in the recent years to three years.
• NZQA qualification assessment of work visa requirements: In case you came out of a non-recognised institution, then you might be required to have an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

English Language Proficiency

All work visas do not require use of English though some pathways require it:

• AEWV (Skill Level 1-3): No English test is necessary.
• AEWV (Skill Levels 4-5): You should have Competent English standard NZ Immigration (e.g. IELTS 4.0 overall, PTE 29).
• Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa: Requirement is much higher (e.g., IELTS/PETE scores of New Zealand work visa of 6.5 overall, or exemptions)

Pathways to Sponsorship and Residency in Families

The AEWV offers the opportunity to get to residency, though there are strict requirements to sponsoring your family.

Family Sponsorship Threshold

To sponsor a partner with a work visa, and dependent children with student visas, you need to have a minimum income requirement:

• Income Requirement: You should have a minimum income of at least the NZD of 55844 per annum (80 percent of the median wage, subject to change) according to your guaranteed hours. Those that do not meet this limit qualify only to sponsor their family to get visitor visas.

Work to Residence & Green List

The AEWV is the temporary visa that will result in permanent residency (PR).

• Green List Visa requirements New Zealand: In case your position is in the Green List (Requirements for Green List Tier 1 and Tier 2 roles), your journey becomes much quicker:
• Tier 1 (Straight to Residence): PR at the point of arrival.
• Tier 2 (Work to Residence): PR application after 2 years working in the position.
• Skilled Migrant Category (SMC): The majority of the other workers will be able to apply on the basis of the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), which is utilized on a 6-point basis. You are to complete the How to meet the 6-point SMC threshold requirements once you have an experience in the country.

Application Logistics & Costs

The main way of not delaying is to have your application submitted correctly.

• Application: You should apply to AEWV online through the INZ portal with your employer going through the first two steps.
• Fees: To remember, the application fee to get a work visa in New Zealand is 2025. Application fee to the AEWV is usually approximately NZD $750 and there are more fees that are involved such as:

Medical/X-ray fees (NZD $200–$500)

Police certificate fees

Translation charges and delivery charges.

• Processing Time: NZ visa processing time AEWV/SMC processing: NZ visa processing time is highly variable; it usually takes 4-8 weeks to process after submission.

FAQs

Final Thought

The mandatory necessitate for working in New Zealand for foreigners are clear but layered. Your happening depends not just on your pronounce, but on strategy. Focus on commissioned employers, accurately confirm your ANZSCO code, and prioritize meeting the higher income threshold if family sponsorship is critical. Start gather your Health and character requirements for New Zealand visas documents early to ensure a smooth, timely postulation.

Disclaimer

This informational and educational article is based on the New Zealand Work Visa Requirements Explained 2025 and in public available immigration guidelines as of December 2025. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) updates its policies, wage start, and forms frequently. Readers are strongly well-adviseda to verify all specific details, fees, and processing times directly from the official INZ website or consult a Licensed Immigration Adviser before making any employment or visa application decisions.