New Zealand care workforce work-to-residence visa

Care workforce workers aged 55 or younger who meet the New Zealand work, pay and current job requirements.

• Age

  You must be aged 55 or younger when you apply.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Eligible New Zealand work

  You must have at least 24 months of eligible full-time work in New Zealand within the 30 months immediately before applying. Full-time work is at least 30 hours a week. Eligible time can include care workforce work and, for part of the period, qualifying Green List Tier 2, transport sector or twice-median-wage work.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Visa held during work

  For the qualifying work period, you must have held an eligible work visa, a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa allowing work, or an eligible Interim Visa.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Approved care job

  Your current job or offer must be in an approved care workforce occupation. The listed jobs are Māori Health Assistant — Kaiawhina (Hauora), Disabilities Services Officer, Residential Care Officer, Aged or Disabled Carer, Nursing Support Worker, Personal Care Assistant, Therapy Aide, Child or Youth Residential Care Assistant and Diversional Therapist. The guidance also provides for some jobs removed from the list after qualifying work began.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Accredited employer

  Your current care workforce job or job offer must be with an accredited employer; the employer can be accredited when you apply or when your visa is decided.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Job hours and duration

  Your current job or offer must guarantee at least 30 hours each week and be permanent or for a fixed term of at least 12 months from when you apply.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Genuine job

  The employment must be genuine and must not have been offered as a result of payment.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Required pay

  You must have received at least the applicable care workforce wage rate during qualifying work, and your current job or offer must meet the applicable rate or equivalent salary. The published care workforce rate is NZD $28.25 an hour from 1 July 2022; the applicable rate can depend on when you began counting work or, where the 5-month grace period applies, when your work visa was granted.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Job-specific requirements

  You must meet any qualification and registration requirements for your care workforce job.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• English

  You must speak and understand English. Accepted evidence includes specified citizenship, work and study circumstances or an approved in-person test taken no more than 2 years before applying. Principal-applicant test thresholds include IELTS overall 6.5, TOEFL iBT 79, PTE Academic 58, B2 First 176, or OET grade C+ in all four skills.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Health

  You and anyone included in your application must be in good health. The visa page specifies medical examinations and, according to age, chest X-rays; medical evidence must be less than 3 months old when Immigration New Zealand receives it.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Character

  You and anyone included in your application must be of good character. Applicants aged 17 or older must provide police certificates less than 6 months old from countries of citizenship and countries where they spent 12 months or more in the last 10 years.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Included family

  If you include a partner or dependent children aged 24 or younger, you must provide evidence of your genuine relationship. Included family members aged 16 or older must meet the English requirement or pay for English lessons in New Zealand.

  immigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource

• Visa cost shown on the official visa pageimmigration.govt.nz · checked 5 days agoSource$6,450 once

1. Get ready

   • Get a visa that permits the work

     When you arrive

     Obtain an eligible visa permitting full-time work in an approved New Zealand care workforce job.

     You’ll need: Work visa or other eligible visa

   • Confirm your current care job

     1 day after you arrive

     Check that your current job or offer meets the approved occupation, employer accreditation, hours, duration and pay requirements.

     You’ll need: Employment agreement, fixed-term contract or offer letter

   • Gather identity and work documents

     1 day after you arrive

     Prepare your passport or identity document, photo, work records and current job evidence, with certified English translations where needed.

     You’ll need: Passport or identity document, Photo, Employment agreements, Pay slips, Inland Revenue summary of earnings, Certified translations if needed

   • Prepare health, character and English evidence

     1 day after you arrive

     Arrange the required medical evidence, police certificates and proof of English, checking the stated validity periods.

     You’ll need: Medical evidence, Police certificates, English-language evidence

2. Apply

   • Apply online and pay

     1 day after you arrive

     Complete the online residence application, upload your supporting documents and pay the applicable fee.

     You’ll need: Online application, Supporting documents

3. Visa

   • Check your application and decision

     1 day after you arrive

     Check your online application status, provide further information if requested and look for the decision email and eVisa.

     You’ll need: Further evidence if requested, eVisa if approved

4. Settle in

   • Complete qualifying work

     When you arrive

     Complete at least 24 months of eligible, correctly paid New Zealand work within the 30 months before your residence application.

     You’ll need: Employment agreements, Pay slips, Inland Revenue summary of earnings

   • Check permanent residence eligibility

     1 day after you arrive

     After holding this resident visa for 2 years in a row, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.

     You’ll need: Resident visa

After holding the visa for 2 years in a row, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.

• Resident visa wait times :: Immigration New Zealandimmigration.govt.nzOfficial
• Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa » Immigration New Zealandimmigration.govt.nzOfficial
• English language requirements for skilled residence visas :: Immigration New Zealandimmigration.govt.nzOfficial
• SR6.15 Requirements for 24 months of work in New Zealand in a Care Workforce sector roleimmigration.govt.nzOfficial
• SR6.10 Acceptable employment in a Care Workforce sector roleimmigration.govt.nzOfficial
• Care workforce and transport sector pathway to residence :: Immigration New Zealandimmigration.govt.nzOfficial

Japper is an AI immigration assistant. It gives general information from official sources, not legal advice, and it can be wrong. For your own case, ask a licensed advisor.