🇳🇿 New Zealand · Work Visa
Work permit categories, eligibility, sponsorship, application steps, and processing times.
Quick answer
Foreign nationals need a work visa; the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the main employer-sponsored route, and skilled migrants can use the points-based Skilled Migrant Category. Immigration New Zealand administers visas.
Foreign nationals need a work visa to work in New Zealand; the Accredited Employer Work Visa is the main employer-sponsored route. Immigration New Zealand administers visas.
- Most workers use the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) or a skilled route.
- Employers must be accredited to sponsor migrant workers.
- Immigration New Zealand administers visa applications.
Official authorities
- Immigration New Zealand
Immigration authority — work visas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Accredited Employer Work Visa?
The main temporary work visa, requiring a job offer from an INZ-accredited employer meeting pay and role checks.
Can a work visa lead to residence?
Yes — the points-based Skilled Migrant Category and the Green List offer residence pathways for qualifying workers.
What is the Green List?
A list of in-demand occupations with faster or more direct routes to work and residence.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.