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Travel disrupted by
the Middle East
situation
- Issued: Monday 02 Mar 2026, 07:10 pm NZDT
We have established a priority phone line from Monday to Friday for people to contact us about this specific situation. Call 0508 558 855 (toll free from NZ landlines) or +64 9 914 4100 and press option 7. For information about what options are available to you, check:
Middle East: advice for temporary visa holders in New Zealand affected by travel disruptions
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- Visas for working in New Zealand
Work
Visas for working in New Zealand
Working holiday visas
Who can apply for a working holiday visa
Working holiday visa medical requirements
English language skills for working holiday visas
Finding short-term work when on a working holiday
Register for information
Finding work in New Zealand
How to find a job in New Zealand
What working in New Zealand is like
Main job sectors in New Zealand
Finding short-term work when on a working holiday
Register for information
Requirements for work visas
Approved employers
Wage rate requirements for visas
Median wage comparison calculator
Green List and seasonal jobs, qualifications and skills
Approved work exchange schemes
Visas for tour guides or tour escorts
Apply for a Job Change or a variation of conditions if you have a work visa
How long you can work on work visas
China Special Work Visa — evidence of qualifications
Qualifications for Republic of Korea Special Work
Check or change your work visa conditions
Worker rights
Your rights as a worker from overseas
Support in the workplace
What your employer must do when they hire you on an AEWV or seasonal AEWV
Your rights as an RSE worker
Agreeing to voluntary pay deductions when you work on an RSE visa
For employers
Hiring people from overseas
Rules and laws when hiring people from overseas
Getting accreditation or approval to hire
Helping overseas workers to settle in New Zealand
Hiring foreign crew to work on a fishing vessel
Resources, services and information to help employers
Updates for employers
Visas for investing and doing business in New Zealand
Business investor visas pathway to residence
Protecting yourself from immigration scams
Visas for working in New Zealand
There are many different visas that let you work in New Zealand. All are temporary visas, but some can lead to residence.
Visas that allow you to work
There are a range of visas you can apply for to work in New Zealand. Some work visas require you to have a job offer at the application stage, and to only work in certain jobs. With other visas, you do not need a job offer and can do almost any work, in any job, anywhere in New Zealand. What you can do on your visa will be specified in your visa conditions.
Note
You do not need a visa to work in New Zealand if you are a New Zealand or Australian citizen.
The following sections summarise the different types of visas you can work on and who can apply for them.
Working holiday visas
If you are aged 18 to 30, or 18 to 35 in a select few countries, and a citizen of a country that has a working holiday agreement with New Zealand, you can apply for a working holiday visa.
In most cases you can work for up to 12 months on a working holiday visa — you cannot take a permanent job.
You must be coming mainly to holiday — work should be a secondary intention.
The conditions of your employment will vary depending on where you are from. Check the details for your country’s working holiday visa scheme.
Who can apply for a working holiday visa
Working Holiday Extension Work Visa
If you are already in New Zealand on a working holiday visa and have worked in the viticulture or horticulture industries for at least 3 months, you can apply to stay in New Zealand for another 3 months.
Working Holiday Extension Work Visa
Work visas
Compare the following work visas to find one that could suit your situation.
Accredited employer work visas
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
You can apply for this visa if you have a job offer from an accredited employer. The employer must send you a link to the online application form. The AEWV lets you stay in New Zealand from 7 months to 5 years — depending on your job, skill level, how much you are paid and when you applied for your visa.
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
Accredited employer list
Employer Accreditation for the AEWV
Other visas that require you to work for an accredited employer
Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
Straight to Residence Visa
Transport Work to Residence Visa
Work to Residence Visa
Country-specific work visas
China Skilled Workers Visa
To apply for this visa, you must be a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, have a job offer for a role on the China skilled job list and meet the listed requirements. You can work in the job, for the employer, and in the location specified on your visa, for up to 3 years.
China Skilled Workers Visa
China Special Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you have a job offer as a qualified chef, traditional medicine practitioner, Mandarin teacher’s aide, Wushu martial arts coach, or tour guide. You must be a citizen of the People’s Republic of China.
China Special Work Visa
Indonesia Special Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you are from Indonesia and have a job offer as a trained chef, Halal slaughterer or Bahasa teacher’s aide.
Indonesia Special Work Visa
Japanese Interpreters Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you are from Japan and have a full-time job offer to work as a qualified interpreter in a tourism-related industry in New Zealand.
Japanese Interpreters Work Visa
Philippines Special Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you are a registered nurse, farm manager or engineering professional from the Philippines. You must have a job offer, qualifications and experience.
Philippines Special Work Visa
Republic of Korea Special Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you are from the Republic of Korea and qualified to work in a Republic of Korea Special Work occupation.
Republic of Korea Special Work Visa
Thai Chefs Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you are from Thailand, have an offer of full-time work as a Thai chef, and the necessary qualifications and experience to do that work.
Thai Chefs Work Visa
Vietnam Special Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you are from Vietnam and have been offered work in New Zealand as a chef or engineering professional. You must be qualified to do the job you have been offered.
Vietnam Special Work Visa
Domestic worker visa
Domestic Staff of a Diplomat Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you are a domestic worker for diplomatic, consular or official staff posted in New Zealand. Your employer and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade must support your application.
Domestic Staff of a Diplomat Work Visa
Entertainers, talent or specific purpose work visas
Entertainers Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you want to work on a film, video or production in New Zealand and you have specific skills that cannot be met by New Zealand’s entertainment industry.
Entertainers Work Visa
Specific Purpose Work Visa
This visa lets you work in New Zealand for a specific purpose or event. This includes seasonal jobs, some business purposes and contract services.
Specific Purpose Work Visa
Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you have an exceptional talent in a field of art, sport or culture.
Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa
Fishing worker visa
Fishing Crew Work Visa
With this visa you can work as crew on a fishing vessel in New Zealand waters for up to 12 months.
Fishing Crew Work Visa
Partner work visas
Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa
This visa lets you work in New Zealand if you have a partner who is a New Zealand citizen or has a resident visa.
Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa
Partner of a Student Work Visa
You can apply for this visa to work in New Zealand if your partner is studying an eligible level 7 or 8 qualification, or a level 9 or 10 qualification on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework.
Partner of a Student Work Visa
Partner of a Worker Work Visa
This visa lets you work in New Zealand while your partner is here on a work visa. Your partner must have an eligible work visa to support your application.
Partner of a Worker Work Visa
Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa
This visa lets you work in New Zealand while your partner is here on a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade-funded NZ Scholarship.
Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa
Partner of Military Work Visa
This visa lets you work in New Zealand while your partner is here on a military visa.
Partner of Military Work Visa
Religious worker visas
Student and Trainee Work Visa
This visa is for students or trainees wanting to get practical work experience in their field. This can include, but is not limited to, religious trainees, dental or medical trainees and apprentice jockeys.
Student and Trainee Work Visa
Religious Worker Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you have an offer of religious work from a religious organisation.
Religious Worker Work Visa
Seasonal work visas
Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa
On the Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa, you can come to New Zealand for a short time to work in our horticulture and viticulture industries. You must have a job offer from a Recognised Seasonal Employer before you apply.
Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa
Supplementary Seasonal Employment Work Visa
If you are already in New Zealand on a student or visitor visa, you can apply for this visa to do seasonal work in the horticulture or viticulture industry for an approved employer for up to 6 months.
Supplementary Seasonal Employment Work Visa
Other temporary visas
You may be allowed to work while you are on a student visa in New Zealand — this depends on the conditions of your visa. You can apply to change your visa conditions to allow you to work part-time or
Working on a student visa
Check or change your student visa conditions
Some visitor visas allow you to work in your field or do business in New Zealand for a short time:
- Academic Visitor Visa
- APEC Business Travel Card to visit New Zealand
- Arts and Music Festival Visitor Visa
- Business Visitor Visa
- Crew joining a Ship or Plane Visitor Visa
- German Law Student Visitor Visa
- Private Yacht or Plane Visitor Visa
- Short-term Entertainment Act Visitor Visa
- Sports Events Visitor Visa
- Super Yachts Visitor Visa
- Visiting Media Visitor Visa
You may be able to work part-time in New Zealand if you are a dependent child who is waiting for a residence visa and have, or meet the requirements to apply for, an eligible visitor visa.
Working part-time if you are a dependent child waiting for a residence visa
You could also work remotely for an overseas business or client while you are visiting New Zealand.
Working remotely in New Zealand on a visitor visa
Resident visas
If you have a New Zealand resident or permanent resident visa you can work in any job and for any employer:
- Active Investor Plus Visa
- Australian Resident Visa
- Business Investor Resident Visa
- Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa
- Dependent Child Resident Visa
- Employees of Relocating Business Resident Visa
- Global Impact Permanent Residence Visa
- Pacific Access Category Resident Visa
- Permanent Resident Visa
- Pitcairn Islander Resident Visa
- Religious Workers Resident Visa
- Samoan Quota Resident Visa
- Second or Subsequent Resident Visa
- Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
- South Island Contribution Resident Visa
- Straight to Residence Visa
- Trafficking Victim Resident Visa
- Transport Work to Residence Visa
- Victims of Family Violence Resident Visa
Explore visa options
Visa filter tool
Use the visa filter tool to help you choose a visa that fits your situation.
Visas
Visa lookup
You can find a visa directly from the ‘Visa lookup’ search field found in the footer on each page.
Simply start to type a visa name or key word such as ‘work’ and a list of visas that match your search will appear. You can then select the visa you would like to view.
Customising information on a visa page
If you are looking at a visa page online, entering your details on the page will display information specific to someone from your country.